I’ll Win My Enemys Heart, It’s My Way of the Ninja
by She-Who-Is-Not-To-Be-Psycho
Summary: Shippuuden – New!Team Kakashi intercepts Sasuke in the woods and proposes him to work together to bring Uchiha Itachi down, with Naruto as bait. Sakura is monotonous, Sai's friendmaking attempts, Kyuubi is hormonal and Sasuke, as per usual, is a bastard.
1. Start: The Journey to Friendship

**Shippuuden – I'll Win My Enemy's Heart, It's My Way of the Ninja!**

By Unborn  
Fandom: Naruto  
Pairings: Naruto/Sasuke  
Rating: PG16  
Spoilers Warning: Shippuuden Manga roughly up to date.

* * *

**Introductory Notes:** Faced with every NaruSasu cliché there is in fanfiction, will the Naruto series find a happy ending recovering their teammate Sasuke? Will canon be destroyed by silly sexy jokes? Will sexual tension make us eternally pissed off? Yes, I'm afraid I have finally surrendered to the Naruto fandom, but this will be the first and possible last time, I swear. The manga is coming out every week so expect I might make a few blunders along the way. 

Japanese terms notes: Sometimes I'll translate the words into credible alternatives. Otherwise: Jutsu technique; Ninjutsu seal-created technique; Taijutsu hand to hand combat technique; Genjutsu illusion technique. -chan, -kun, -sama, -sensei and such remain the same. shinobi male or generic ninja / kunoichi female ninja

I'll usually opt to use the original Japanese for recurrent words in the original manga, such as –teme (scumbag) and dobe (asshole or looser), and Usuratonkachi (dumbfool/blockhead or looser, when it should be King of Loosers).

* * *

CHAPTER 1-- Start

"You will regret it..."

----

Is Kakashi-sense for real? Use Naruto-kun as bait to get to Itachi… It's true that they are after Naruto and we will have to fight Akatsuki after all, and it did work to convince Sasuke-kun to help but… Sasuke-kun, what he said...

"_Alright, but I'm not bound to rescue Naruto later. That's your job, not mine."_

Sasuke-kun… Naruto…

----

"So, you see, it's beneficial for both parties," explained Kakashi in his usual half-hearted drawl. Naruto jumped into speech as cheerfully as always, "So, what do you way, Sasuke? We'll bring them out easily and all I've got to do is wait out in the open."

"But, Naruto…" Sakura complained. "Hey, no problem," he retorted with a foxy smile. "It'll be because they are all understandably after my sexy, extraordinary hot body."

To account for what he just said, Naruto posed an intended "sexy" pose which failed miserably in its intent. Sai, by his side, clapped happily.

"So that's how you plan to lure then out," drawled back Sasuke with half his face covered in marks. "As expected of a plan from the best of Konoha's clowns: Naruto and his clan. But it's unlike you, Kakashi. Aren't you worried I'll try to take Naruto by myself?"

"Oh?" asked Kakashi, the spare no-Sharingan eye open slightly in surprise. "I didn't know you were into Naruto's sexy, extraordinary hot body, too."

Sasuke's serious expression didn't change one bit – quite the disappointment, I know. "Quit fooling around, Kakashi."

Kakashi wore a more serious expression. "Of course, since Itachi is your target, you would inevitably end up protecting Naruto so you'd help us. Think of us as mere escorts for this mission, it'll be back to normal in no time. A temporary alliance."

However, Sasuke responded brattily, "I don't need escorts."

Kakashi's tone converted into conciliatory. "Mah. I think it's better than tailing Naruto from the shadows." ( Naruto: "eh??")

Sasuke lowered his head and tsk-laughed. "Wouldn't it?"

Raising his head back up, Sasuke stared deep into the eyes of the confused-looking Naruto, a helpless victim among them all. His eyes were shinning red. _With the power in these eyes, I'll be able to tell what you really plan with me, Naruto._

_Sharingan!_

A pit-back bottom of the eyes transformed rapidly into images, to the imaginary performance of a ceremony and Naruto's mind-Naruto was dressed in long, white robes.

"_**HAHAHAHAH!" laughed imaginary Hokage Naruto. "Now I'm Hokage, you must do everything I say!" A crowd of ANBU members chorused, "SIR! YES, SIR!" **_

"**_Alright! That Sasuke will follow my orders now! HAHAHAH!" _**

– **_Scene switches to Naruto's Mind Sasuke cleaning Naruto's toilet while Naruto nods, "That's right! And you can use your Sharingan to brush off even the last spot!" ( Naruto: doesn't know how Sharingan works) _**

– **_Next scene it's Naruto's Mind Sasuke giving Naruto a back massage, "A bit to the right, a bit to the right. Ah This is life!"_**

Sharingan off.

Sasuke was staring down at Naruto as if he had tasted something sour.

----

The group of five traveled though the threes at a moderate speed and Naruto had picked up the lead since the beginning. Sakura and Sai came behind while Sasuke moved as if he wasn't making the least of efforts, close-by to Kakashi who was, at all times, watching him move.

"Naruto! Don't rush that far!" called out Sakura from behind, slowly loosing pace with him. Naruto responded in his cheerful self, "Heh! Sorry!"

Naruto was having a hard time containing his excitement. He was having a good feeling about this. He told himself out loud, "This time, I'll for sure bring you with me, Sasuke!"

_Purr…_

'Eh? What was that?' Naruto thought. He stopped on his tracks and placed a hand in his stomach. 'Funny, it felt like my stomach was purring…'

His expression changed into shock and sweat. 'Oh crap! Don't tell me it's diarrhea again?!'

_Purrrrrr!_

'Craaaaaaaap!'

He held onto his stomach dancing on tiptoes. Next you know, it was Naruto running to disappear in a cloud of smoke rising from his track.

----

"Sasuke," Kakashi had lost no time in silence once they started moving, but he was having a bit of troubles catching up to Sasuke even at this speed. Having now his attention, he considered it should make him slow his pace. "I must ask you, what do you plan to do after you defeat Itachi?"

Sasuke smiled sardonically. "Hn. What you are asking is if I'll return to Konoha."

"Ah," acknowledged Kakashi. "That's my question exactly."

In his previous, immovable bratty behavior, he retorted, "I'm not planning to do that."

"Is that so? I was thinking, after you finish this business up, you'd preoccupy yourself with, ah, the Uchiha clan's issue."

Sasuke turned his head at him at last, "Hn?"

It turns up, Kakashi was wrong: this made the pursuing no easier than before. They had even passed-by Naruto, who he knew to have picked the lead earlier on.

Kakashi offered a little smile behind his face-cover cloth, "That is, repopulate the clan."

They travel a couple of seconds in silence before Sasuke responds, impassible, "In the first place, 'if I survive the battle' should be the question."

Kakashi's expression turns serious, "Are you planning to die fighting?"

"Yes," Sasuke said without a second of hesitation. "Even if I was strong to win and survive, I've no reason to keep on living. I've said it before; I have no present or future."

"Mmh… ah well." Kakashi let that small monosyllabic input linger, as if only to attract Sasuke's attention before he spoke,

"If you don't mind the lack of descendants, you wouldn't mind having somebody as Naruto as lover. Or is it because of having Naruto that you don't care for the clan's future?" he finished, his eyes smiling.

At that, Kakashi finally managed to stop Sasuke in his tracks successfully, the latter stopping that same instant.

"What is that about?" Kakashi was surprised: Sasuke even appeared to almost stammer these words. "To think I had such a high opinion of you and you say such a dumb thing in such a moment of tension. Has Naruto rubbed that bad on you?"

Unpreoccupied and with a smile, Kakashi-sensei said, "You think? Ah, maybe it was a little silly after all."

"TOILEEEEEEEEEEET!" passed by them the running figure of Naruto holding his sides.

----

They traveled like that approaching Konoha's Territory, trying to round the Hidden Village of the Waterfall. Sasuke had not said a word to Sakura or Naruto, though it wasn't like Naruto was trying…

"I wasn't diarrhea after all, it was a false alarm," was Naruto saying, coming back from where he had strayed. "I wonder what that had been, it was all weird."

He readjusted his backpack and came back to the group, but was left behind, aka, right behind Sasuke and Kakashi-sensei.

"Naruto!" called Sakura from the front, "Where had you gone? I told you not to go off on your own!"

"Yeah, sorry about that!" he called with a goofy smile. "I had to go have a pee but now I'm back!"

"Baka! I needn't know that!" surfaced irritable inner!Sakura.

Naruto laughed nervously. He had said he was fine, but in fact the feeling had just returned. Tough luck…

_Mh?_ He thought suddenly. _Mmh… smells good! I think I'm getting hungry because I can smell somebody cooking ramen!_

He let himself be guided by that scent. _Bah… it's a bit different, but I don't think it comes from my backpack. But it's close by… it feels so close, so close_

And at that, he bumped into the back of somebody in the front.

… A somebody who stared back with piercing, bloodline red eyes—"WHA!"

From surprise, Naruto slipped into the branch and fell on his butt on it, to finally fall to the floor though leaves and bushes.

"Really…" commented Uchiha staring down from the top of the tree; to his side, Kakashi leaned in to check on the fallen member of the team, and void of ill-natured intentions, called, "Naruto, what are you doing?"

"Stop fooling around, dobe!" called Uchiha, coldly.

And down at the floor, called Naruto shaking his fist, "Baka! Do you think I fell on purpose!"

----

A mere minute later, Naruto was back at pace, pouting silently as they traveled, by the side of Kakashi and Sasuke. The later had not spared as much as a look at Naruto since they started moving again, and that seemed to compel Naruto to stare with resentment even more.

To make matters worse, that smell started to feel like it was mixing with Uchiha's own quite strongly, and that annoying feeling from his stomach felt like he was carrying a working truck in his insides.

Annoyed now in ways he didn't think possible, Naruto resolved very maturely, and in a way even feeling it unavoidable, trying to go faster than Sasuke to lead before him. If he did that, the smell of him would disappear. Sasuke, who looked indifferent for the most part, picked Naruto's intentions nonetheless and with a mere gesture returned to the lead with that amazing speed for his. It was so small, the effort, Sasuke might as well have done that out of instinctive reflex than to even acknowledge Naruto's challenge.

Which pissed Naruto even more.

He picked up some speed again. Sasuke returned the motion with minimal effort. Naruto went for the lead, and now Sasuke was leading again, surpassing Naruto this time. So Naruto burned some chakra and tried hard even more (at this time, they passed though Sai and Sakura, who looked at them both in wonder) and Sasuke was starting to look like he knew what he was doing alright.

Naruto grr-ed at Sasuke. Sasuke returned the gesture with a glare. Even with his Sharingan-eyes, it came out the most he had in all this time looked like the old Sasuke.

"Alright, boys! That's enough."

Kakashi was before them with a serious expression and his hands up, blocking his way – Sasuke stopped on his tracks at once but Naruto couldn't stop and slammed face first into a tree. Kakashi regarded the moaning, fallen figure of Naruto again.

"Dear Hokage… listen, boys, I understand you are happy to see each other –" Sasuke hn-ed, Naruto was still moaning, "– but don't stray away from the group again, alright?"

Only now it became evident just how much Kakashi was panting.

* * *

**Author's Notes:**  
--Explained O-MAKE-CHIBIS Naru & Sasu Style!-- 

NARU: Hey! How came—what did you just do? Did you really read my mind?!

SASU: Tsk. Dumbass. What comes close to that would be what Kakashi-sensei said: when the blades of two first-rated shinobi clash together, they know instinctively how the other will move and attack. (looks cool)

NARU: Eh?? (points Sasuke with his fingers) Is that so? What I'm thinking right now?

SASU: (open one eye solemnly) You are thinking that Neji Hyuuga must use too much hair conditioner.

NARU: WOAH! You are good!

SASU: I know.

NARU: Umm… (thinks hard) But that doesn't yet explains what happened up there. (picks Sasuke's uncomfortable silence) (frowns suspiciously) Whaaaat?!

SASU: Maybe what we should say is that, in that episode AN: He is meaning Shippuuden here, I somehow had a connection to your mind though your eyes alone with my evolutional Sharingan.

NARU: (nodsnods) AN: Naruto: looks as if he understands

SASU: (solemnly) Then the author gave herself a bit of creative license to speculate the extensive reach of the new Sharingan, to have that small piece of humor you just witnessed.

NARU: Ah! (shocked pose) So she invented it all!

SASU: (only one eye open) Since there's not much told about the Sharingan, that usually leads to such abuses from the authoress.

NARU: (nods, nods attempting to be solemn) I knew it - Eh, Gaara, what are you doing?

Chibi style-GAARA: (monotonous tone) I'm making a Sand Castle.

-

KA CHIN!


	2. Heat! Teaming up with Sasuke

_**Shippuuden – I'll Win My Enemy's Heart, It's My Way of the Ninja!**_

By Unborn  
Fandom: Naruto  
Pairings: Naruto/Sasuke  
Rating: PG16  
Spoilers Warning: Shippuuden Manga roughly up to date.

**Introductory Notes:** It's Shipuudden Naruto NaruSasu Silly Version. The story will feed on the abuse of every kind, possible or existing, Naruto, and especially NaruSasu, cliché as I can fit into the story, be warned.

* * *

CHAPTER 2-- Heat

* * *

The night was upon them before long. They set camp by the mountain, hidden by forestation and the subtle sound of a fall nearby.

"Kakashi-sensei," Sakura started.

"Hm?"

The Copy-Ninja was leaning back a tree, looking up from reading his R18+ books Flirting Tactics.

"If Sasuke was to come back, what would happen?"

The rustle of unpacking paused at Sakura's question. "Come back to Konoha? Mmh…"

"He would stand trial," said Sai unexpectedly.

The other three turned their attention to him. In a kind and not overly-light tone, Sai said, "A jury of Konoha's elders would see to it if he should be treated as a guest or as a prisoner, that is, they will be deciding if he is friend or foe."

"Ehh??" Naruto said suddenly. "Wait a minute – Sasuke is a village shinobi! Wouldn't they know that?"

"I'm afraid he renounced that title when he left Konoha," retorted Sai, his small smile turning into a solemn expression. The camp grew silent. Then,

"_So_ how did that go for my attempt to a tactful answer? I read it in a book it must be said soothingly and not use a full smile!"

The incredulous shock in the others' faces "You are getting there…" was reflected in Sakura's answer.

Then Naruto-baka had added, and so went to waste the weirdness of the situation, in a low voice, "Friend or foe, eh?" and Sakura mimicked his reaction. On cue to Sakura and Naruto's depressed aura, the camp went again to submerge in that deep, suffocating silent tension.

So, Kakashi spoke, "Anyways, it's also possible to recover that title so let's not give up hope yet."

They looked up, Naruto snapped with an "Alright!" and Sakura added, "Yes, Kakashi-sensei." (Inner Sakura: 'HELL IT WILL BREAK MY SPIRIT! SHANNARO!')

The two of them smile at their sensei. (Kakashi thinks: 'Bah, I was going to tell them not to get their hopes up but I end doing the opposite.')

"Anyways, where's Sasuke?" Naruto asked all of the sudden.

"Naruto, haven't you been paying attention?" said Sakura, arranging her futon.

_Sasuke, whose speed was greater than all of theirs, was surprisingly quiet about the wasted day they had just let by. Silent as a grave, he moved away to set his own camp, or so were the guesses from the new Team 7._

"It shouldn't surprise you," said Kakashi, "It's true that we are working together but remember Sasuke is no longer part of our team."

"Ah, yeah, that's true…" Naruto attempted laughing, though he sounded disheartened. "Ah, but he must still be starving with nothing to eat! I didn't see him carry any backpack earlier. I'll take him something –"

He dropped to his knees and to his own backpack, at the same time Sakura said, "N-Naruto! We don't have that much spare food either."

"That's no problem! I'll take him some of my private, emergency ramen provisions stack!" as he said so, he was bringing it out and jumped to his feet to go – only Sai was on his way.

"Eh?"

"I'll bring it to him for you," Sai said holding a hand up. "I was planning to go out for firewood all the same.

Naruto looked from his hand, to his ramen pot to Sai's child-like smile. "Ah, that's… I guess that works," Naruto said, handing dejectedly and disappointed the pot over.

* * *

In the dead of the night, the sound of kunais hitting the ground and wood was barely perceptible. The ninja over the edge of the small waterfall was standing smugly over a round rock, looking for all you knew as if he was merely relaxing bathed in the moonlight. The face coming from behind the three looked differently but similarly unaffected, and was smiling.

"Not bad," drawled the first man's voice. "Was I a bratty child like at my time in Konoha, I'd be impressed."

Sai retorted with a simple expression of his own (his trademark smile), "Good thing you are not a bratty kid from Konoha, then."

The two stayed still, one on guard but showing only slightly though fake expressions, the other seizing the other up without looking concerned in the least. "What do you want?" said the latter man.

The first man raised his chin and his smile. "Since we are allied, I thought I'd step forward to make a proper introduction. I'm Sai, and I'm pleased to meet you…

"…Emo-kid."

Sasuke was indeed mid-way waving him off with disinterest—

– when Sai's words stuck him. His eyes started to turn dangerous, they which should be sinister enough with his Sharingan on at all times like that.

"I wanted to hear your opinion, I've other names," continued Sai. "How do you like… drama queen?"

In, rushed Naruto to the rescue like a canon bullet, clapping Sai's mouth closed–"D-don't pay him any attention, Sa-as-Sasuke! He is blabbing mad, Sai – hahahahah!"

He abandoned his obviously fake laughter and pulled Sai to a corner, hooking an arm around his neck conspirationally, "Do you have a death wish?!

"Listen, Sasuke has the Sharingan, he can actually kill you off with a glance –" For effect, Naruto opened his own eye wide and pointed, before returning to his narrow, fox-like eyes with an expression of dread. "It's scary…"

"Oh! Is that so? I'm sorry," said Sai, not looking concerned at all.

Naruto nodded solemnly, "Good thing I was here to save your butt."

**--Small Chibi Moment--**  
CHIBI-NARUTO: Yeah, year! Those bloodlines are some thing, I just heard that Neji could see my inner chakra and I was like 'WHAT?! He can see though my clothes?!' –"

CHIBI-SAI: "He wasn't missing much before"  
**--End Chibi Momento--**

"Usuratonkachi."

Forgetting his early warnings exceedingly fast, Naruto snapped, "EH! ARE YOU TRYING TO PICK A FIGHT, SASUKE-TEME?!"

Meanwhile, Sai clapped happily again, "Oh, that's a nice one! Sasuke-kun is good at picking nicknames."

"Ngh—"

"I was thinking of something about your penis; they say nicknames can also be picked about past experiences, you know," continued Sai happily again, matter-of-factly. "But I couldn't find something short with it."

He finished at the same time Naruto burst out, "THAT SHOULD BE BECAUSE THERE'S NOTHING WRONG ABOUT MY PENIS!"

A plop over the floor warned them Sasuke had descended from that rock and Naruto jumped to swirl around to face Sasuke now. He was adopting a fighting stance when he felt that annoying feeling on the stomach return…

**--In Naruto's Mind--**  
"Eh? Nine-tails… is that you?"

"Jur jur," retorted a grave voice behind the gates in his mind. "It's hot in here or my chakra is burning"

Naruto pointed at the closed gate accusatorily. "I _knew_ there was something up! It was YOU with the purring! What was that for?!"

"Took you long enough," retorted the Nine-tail with a grave purr. "I just happened to be excited, that's all. The Uchiha boy," it responded Naruto's unspoken question.

Naruto's eyes were now in the boy in question. "What about him? I'm excited about it too, but you don't see _me_ purring!"

A bubbling, burning sensation that Naruto thought first that was embarrassment started to embrace him when he realized what it was.  
**--Out of Naruto's mind--**

Both Sasuke and Sai were looking back at Naruto now, it was apparent he was molding the red chakra. They had been taken back by the sudden change only upon meeting face to face to Uchiha.

Troubled by Naruto's silence and the tail that threatened to exteriorize, Sai took out a kunai. Sasuke was impassive… It seemed he wasn't going to take the trouble of stopping it in the first place.

He half turned around, seemly to leave and most readily to ignore.

**--Inside Naruto's Mind again--**  
"Wha—what are you doing? I didn't summon your chakra," said a very confused Naruto. "Look, see, there's no enemies to defeat."

The grave voice purred a sigh. "You, boy, sometimes give me a real migraine."

"Eh! Eh! Have some respect, it's my body after all," Naruto snapped. "And you are giving me a headache too, dumbass." (Naruto: Ah, but at least we are cooling down.)

"Mmh… really nice movement" moaned the Kyuubi, ignoring him.

"What –" Naruto looked up were his eyes were, still over were Sasuke was, and responded, "Ah, er, yeah, you mean his speed, right?"

At that moment, Naruto had to correct himself when he found himself staring, eyes as if having a will of their own (almost…), at the lower anatomy of Uchiha Sasuke.

"EH?!"  
**--Out of Naruto's Mind…--**

That outburst happened also out of Naruto's mind, though Naruto's real body's mouth. Sasuke stopped in his leave to turn around and drawled, hand in hip, "What's wrong with you, dobe."

**--Inside Naruto's Mind--**  
Naruto jumped back in his mind and his body looked mechanically up at the same time. To excuse not addressing the issue with Sasuke first, he turned to the Nine-Tails again, fired up, "B-baka-Kyuubi! What would you look down there for?!"

"Because I like his butt," said the Nine-Tails laying down as if to go to sleep. He purred contently. "Nya nya"

"Baka! Why are you paying that much attention to Sasuke?"

"Oh?" answered the Nine-Tails without opening his eyes, "Ah, but Sai doesn't look bad either." He purred again, loudly and pleased.

"You should be complimenting Sakura-chan instead – Would you stop that!" ranted Naruto. "It feels all funny and I think I want to poo again."

The Kyuubi made a non-agreeable sound. "You are a dangerous weapon for a turn-off, kid." Naruto's body went back to normal temperature.

The Nine-Tail opened one lazy eye at Naruto, "You are of age now; you should know how this is."

"Eh?"

"Heat."

"Heat?!"

"In…heat."

"In…"  
**--End of Naruto's mind interaction--**

"Eh? Eh?" he answered eloquently. Sasuke had asked something to him, before right? Sai had pocketed his kunai after Naruto's sudden changes of moods (in real life, the inner conversation lasted less than seconds).

"No, nothing, nothing! I'm perfectly alright!" answered Naruto fast and rushed, his laugh and usual confident posture lacked something… ease.

Uchiha Sasuke stared down at the eyes of Naruto but found as fast the thing was asleep, his eyes flashed redder than red.

"Baka. Saying that as if I care..."

His eyes left Naruto to tsk derisively only to return with cold indifference, "You were never that easily ticked before."

Just as Naruto was feeling his face hot with anger, a hand was pushing his forehead protector up unexpectedly… exactly where Sai had placed it.

"I heard illness had the same effects like an illusionary genjutsu technique," he said, explanatorily, "and I've read, fever, which comes with illness, can be found like this."

He proceeded to retrieve his hand and stare at it. "But I didn't finish the chapter." Naruto was stunned cold with the shock of it all. "But maybe you should lay down, Naruto-kun."

"Heh, no, I don't think it's that," Naturo answered back, with a weird but more at-ease smile. And Sai smiled back.

A crack sound summoned their attentions away from one another: that stone Sasuke had only been laying on before? It displayed quite a huge crack– apparently Sasuke had crushed the same round stone, his own chosen bed now behind him, with his fingers alone.

"You are annoying."

Feeling the feeling of ease and content quickly leaving him, Naruto pointed up and shouted his lungs off, "EH?! You are much more annoying than anyone, Sasuke-TEME!"

Kyuubi, though, apparently agreed, '_Annoyance's first and last name is: Uzumaki Naruto._' The voice in Naruto's head yawned.

"**Why don't you marry Uchiha Sasuke then?!**" he retorted – but he was so fired up he said it out loud instead of shouting at his inner monster.

Therefore he was left stammering with the other two staring… because he couldn't come up with an excuse to why he had said something like that. Which… which would be…?

Sasuke tsked. "Do you really think I would be interested in something that has been inside your body?"

He… he… Naruto-kun was stunned cold, damn the irony of it all: he… _knew_.

His laugh, other than out of context and loud, was irrational. "Of course, of course, silly monster doing silly jokes," he said, his voice going though all piano and forte on a same word.

"Dumbass," Sasuke said again, looking down on him, "I mean to say I wouldn't touch you with a five-foot long pole."

* * *

At that time, the blood had rushed so fast to his blond head, it left him feeling opposite: cool-headed to think of a rushed but (quite obviously) brilliant plan, and his body responded to it faster than his mind to finish the process. Therefore, his hands made the seal and mouth shouted in one continuous, swift motion,

"Sexy no jutsu!"

A cloud of smoke rose around him.

And now he knew what he had to do. Like Kyuubi had said, they were of age; and this technique always worked on adults. He had to pose his sexy female naked body and he would have Uchiha Sasuke pass out so much blood though his nose, he would faint right at his feet!

Therefore, he prepared the pose: one hand behind his head, the other signaling Sasuke to him, and he spoke with a high-pitched voice, which he did not recognize as altogether correct –

"_Sasuke-sama"_

That was HIS male voice speaking, so that meant… DAMN IT!

Naruto, pose in effect, had his face melt into that of horror when he found out he had transformed into a naked body – sexy, maybe, but not female: HIS naked body.

Sasuke was staring uncomprehending at Naruto's naked dread. Obviously, it would not have any effect like this… And the problem is that Naruto couldn't bring himself to move from his now ridiculous sexy pose either.

While Naruto was in shock naked stated, Sai smiled calmly, "I'm going to go back, Naruto –" (Naruto: How can you say so so calmly?! teary-eyed) "I should not take long so I don't make others worry."

He left something on Naruto's hand, "Come back soon you too, Naruto."

And with that, he leaves.

Finally, Naruto got to disentangle himself from his own petrified state, dejected and with a cloud of smoke returning his clothes on.

Uchiha Sasuke tossed his head to the side with a snarky remark, "Are you done?"

Naruto threw him a projectile that Uchiha easily snatched, but upon closer inspection resulted to be a food container. When he looked down at Naruto for explanations, the other boy was staring back, expression serious and mad.

"There, you have your dinner," he said, and next thing he left. Sasuke was left staring at the ramen pot.

He frowned. At the side of it, there was a note stuck with adhesive. The note read: NARUTO'S in big, bold letters. DON'T EAT! in slightly smaller letters. Then: I mean it Kakashi!!!!! and an angry face. And on the very last, small and between brackets: (Sakura can have some if she asks) next to a heart.

And a tired Kakashi had successfully stayed unseen, sighing behind a tree, "That was a close one. Here I thought for a second I'd actually have to leave them alone."

n

* * *

**Non-Educative O-MAKE-CHIBIS Author's Notes:**

"_Ahh_… and then Naruto's pants were dropped down and, um, he was going to commando and… _Ahhh, Sasuke-sama_ he uttered. S-Sasuke stepped forwards and wrapped m—h-his arms around Naruto's naked body, and w—they would make love that night…"

CHIBI-SASUKE: stares at his writing with a hot-red face "And then Sasuke woke up…" inscribes again, furiously "and then the world exploded!" looks accomplished …take that, blockheads! Told you anybody can make a NaruSasu fanfic.

From the other side of the village of Konoha, a group of ninja students were up on a roof staring at a single piece of paper, peeking curious, amazed and -in every level- flushed, over Gaara of the Desert's shoulder.

For the life of Konoha's young shinobis and kunoichis, good thing Sasuke never spotted that hovering eye spying over his head.

(/This is not what Sasuke dreamt with last night.)


	3. Date? Two Way Battle Akatsuki

**Shippuuden – I'll Win My Enemy's Heart, It's My Way of the Ninja!**

By Unborn  
Fandom: Naruto  
Pairings: Naruto/Sasuke  
Rating: PG16  
Spoilers Warning: Shippuuden Manga roughly up to date.

* * *

**Introductory Notes:** Shippuuden has become my favorite Naruto fanfic... how can that be? Have you seen the last chapters that came out in Japan?! It's smuttier than my fanfic, the fandom's own parody. And here I have been hiding in the shadow of old Naruto jokes to set a parameter of "canon" and failed! I failed!  
Author Unborn fails at life... (Data: The name "Unborn" comes from that chapter when Shikamaru reveals who is the King in a Chess representation of the Village of Konoha.)

* * *

CHAPTER 3-- Date

"Ahhh, that was a good sleep!" a well-rested Uzumaki Naruto said and stretched under the sun of an early morning, ready for some light morning exercise.

The following day was looking like a bright day ahead for them: clear weather, birds chirping… and Sasuke descended from up over a tree.

All of the sudden, the motion by Uzumaki Naruto was halt to a stop mid way to regard Uchiha Sasuke. Peculiarly enough, Naruto's behavior could come across as… defensive.

Sasuke, for whatever reason, stepped forwards.

Right away as that came, Naruto took a step back. He stared back at Uchiha uneasy and leaning slightly as if expecting an attack. Sasuke took another step, and Naruto stepped back… and stepped back again.

Sasuke eyed suspiciously this behavior. Naruto had never before, not openly, looked as if he was intimidated of Sasuke.

"Yo, Sasuke, had a good night sleep?" asked his ex-sensei coming from up a tree with Icha Icha Flirting Tactics book at hand. It was not difficult to see his ex-student was currently brooding.

"It's been just fine," he said with a tone and bags under his eyes that said the opposite. He turned around to go, lingering with his back at them to say in a bratty attitude, "We are leaving in ten minutes so don't waste my time."

And then he was gone.

Naruto looked relieved. Kakashi sensei thought, he had no idea how much so he should be. If his intuition was correct, Sasuke had come to rush them up and probably to earn an excuse to pick a fight with Naruto.

You could tell by the way Sasuke's chakra demeanor spoke of vengeance, though it was usually like that with him nowadays. None of that a complimenting trait.

"Yo, Naruto!" he said, regarding his apprentice, to what Naruto rewarded in an overenthusiastic tone, "Good morning, Kakashi-sensei!"

"You heard Sasuke," the voice from Sakura came from behind, and behind was Sakura indeed, picking things up, "We need to raise the camp and eat breakfast in less than 10 minutes."

"Eh?" Naruto said upon turning around, he had spotted Sai as he was picking up his camp and noticed… "Oi, Sai, what's happened to your eye?"

Naruto hadn't noticed yesterday night. The thing was swollen and black around, but Sai was wearing the usual smile, as he recounted…

--FLASHBACK--

Sai was coming back from the Sasuke and Naruto's naked jutsu talk, just as he had said Naruto that he would return ahead of him.

"Welcome back, Sai," greeted him Sakura.

Sai gave her a cheerful smile and answered, "Hello, Usuratonkachi!"

--END FLASHBACK--

"The rest is a black pit," finished Sai, still cheerful. "But I think I am bonding with Sakura-chan."

Naruto's face went white with fear. Sakura's cheeks were flashing red but her face and her demeanor demonstrated she was less moody than she tried to appear… more like embarrassed, in fact.

"We have no time for that," she said. "Come and pick your things Naruto, we are leaving, didn't you hear?"

"Yeah, yeah, I understand," said Naruto. But then, coming to find Sasuke forgetting he somewhat was apprehensive to the idea before, Naruto got hold of a scent. He jumped up a three and though the bushes following that smell…

Back in last night clearing, a single pot of ramen sealed and left untouched was by the cracked stone bed.

Some time later that morning, their stomachs were full and their backpack in place and they had erased any signs of life they might have made. "Oy, Naruto, what are you doing? We are leaving now!"

"Yeah, I know, Sakura-chan," said Naruto. Sakura watched puzzled the kunais on Naruto's fingers. Before she could ask further, he had thrown the kunai at a tree at a relatively large distance, all of them hitting. He allowed himself to display a self-content smile.

"Basic Kunai Techniques," commented Sai, joining in watching. "So you are a 'greatest looser' after all!" (Note: He is meaning 'Usuratonkachi')

And all that self-pride he was just before feeling died out. "DON'T CALL ME THAT YOU IDIOT!"

"You idiot? Is that my nickname?" said a smiling Sai.

"No, your nickname is PERVERT you PENIS-FETISHED FREAK!"

"I?" Sai looked over at Sakura with what looked like a questioning expression. "But I thought Sakura was that."

Sai's other eyes went black. His new nickname was 'cute panda bunta'.

----

They were back at traveling though the woods in formation, with the exception of Sasuke who was far behind. They were heading for the Hidden Village of Rain. If they could avoid the bigger, Hidden Villages of Rock and Cloud, they would be in safer territory. Besides, diplomats had only finished making announcements of their arrival to other countries and had not settled a definite date for meeting with Team Kakashi… so had explained Kakashi-sensei.

It sounded, though, like there was something Kakashi had kept from them, and in fact there was. In lieu of formal introducement, meeting a welcoming party and not starting a war, he had to purposely delay the team.

'Orochimaru, are you there?'

In the silence of that universe in Sasuke's mind came an irritating voice, hissing at first unintelligibly to turn into sound laughter.

"I get it, I get it," the mocking tone was like the teasing tongue coming from that dirty mouth. "So much do you admire that boy, you also wanted to have your own inner demon."

The face on the stone was tired from fighting to keep itself alive, drained of chakra.

"Or maybe it was because you missed him that much… this makes you closer to him, doesn't it, Sasuke?"

"Those are stupidities, tell me what I want to know."

"The shortest way to the hidden village of rain?" Orochimaru lingered in his response, only to annoy him. "Why do you think there is one?"

"I see, no shortcuts," Sasuke had put a hand over Orochimaru's forehead, the latter looking strangely surprised with his tongue now hanging dead looking from his mouth.

"You were going to take the information yourself, I don't see the point of asking. See, I wasn't lying."

"But you still have got some pretty good information," Sasuke said and prayed his hand from that man, almost as if disgusted. "That's why I kept you: my own private library," he said smiling smugly.

"I see," Orochimaru hissed. "By the way, I was meaning to ask you about that sound."

On cue, echoing though those empty spaces of nothingness was the ghost of those words, a harassing buzzing in his ears…

_Sasuke-sama_

"Just ignore it," said Sasuke.

"Easy to say but," continued Orochimaru.

_Sasuke-sama…__Sasuke-sama… Sasuke-sama… Sasuke-sama… Sasuke-sama… Sasuke-sama… Sasuke-sama…_ _Sasuke-sama… Sasuke-sama… Sasuke-sama… Sasuke-sama… Sasuke-sama… Sasuke-sama…__Sasuke-sama… Sasuke-sama… Sasuke-sama… Sasuke-sama… Sasuke-sama… Sasuke-sama…_ _Sasuke-sama… Sasuke-sama… Sasuke-sama… Sasuke-sama… Sasuke-sama… Sasuke-sama…__Sasuke-sama… Sasuke-sama… Sasuke-sama… Sasuke-sama… Sasuke-sama… Sasuke-sama…_ _Sasuke-sama… Sasuke-sama… Sasuke-sama… Sasuke-sama… Sasuke-sama… _

'That bastard,' thought Sasuke irritated. 'I couldn't take the impression of his words from my head all night.'

----

It was a pretty good guess but an incorrect one. Following the news of that chaos in the country of Rain, they had strayed far enough to interrupt the two members of Akatsuki with the body of a young girl but none of them was Itachi.

"Alright!" said Naruto. "We'll just kick his ass first!"

But Sasuke disagreed. "I've no reasons to engage in this battle. Leave that woman and let's get moving," he said moodily.

With each word, Sakura's heart seemed to contract in pain.

"Asshole!" was barely on Naruto's lips when one of the two figures spoke, "I'm afraid we can't let you go now you have come to us, Nine-Tails," said one of them and this one revealed marks lined vertically over a face with spiraled eyes behind his hat.

"What's that," he asked his companion, "You look rather unmotivated."

"Leader," said a familiar voice, "These people are the dangerous one, especially the one with half his face covered, hm."

"Yeah, and the Nine-Tail's quite the reputation too. How unkind of them to spoil out date –"

"HOW THIS WAS A DATE, HM?!" the spazzy other replied.

"That's why," ignored him the Leader, "I'm asking you to take the Three-Tails while I take care of them, Deidra."

"Do you think you can take care of them alone?"

"Don't tell me you are worried about me –"

There was a cloud of smoke and black monsters came from it 'Here they come…' thought the Leader. "Go Deidra!"

"What do you think I'm doing, hm!"

Kakashi saw what was happening and gestured them, "Sakura! Sai!" Both went to chaser the other. Kakashi had only some seconds to fill them in on this character's abilities while those two shady characters were talking, and decided to stay with Naruto behind. This 'leader' must be strong. Sasuke was watching from over a branch.

There was no choice. They'd have to fight this battle without Sasuke.

"Sasuke you idiot!"

It had been Naruto. "What are you doing up that tree, come down and help!"

Sasuke didn't seem to have the intention to abandon his retreat watch from a safe distance. Well, might as well give it a try.

"What about you help us then, for old times' sake?" offered Kakashi.

"I have no reasons to help Naruto," Sasuke had said, and their efforts were regarded useless. Naruto looked too ready to let out an outraged scream.

"Leave that be, Naruto," said Kakashi-sensei.

Naruto cussed under his breath. It was because Naruto's eyes weren't in the battle that he was an easy target for a kunai, had Kakashi not pulled him aside out of danger at the last minute. That had been no ordinary kunai. Probably poisoned.

That was not all: Naruto's response to battle was unusually slow. It was as if he had reverted to his young inexperienced self's level. Was the influence of Sasuke acting as a déjà vu or something of the sort? This was bad. An enemy this powerful, Naruto won't be able to take in the current –

"Kakashi-sensei."

Kakashi was surprised by Naruto's voice. "I know I acted like an amateur before, but I'm ready to go now."

Kakashi nodded. That's right, they just needed to be careful.

* * *

**O-MAKE-CHIBI: Again, a Pointless Author's Note**

Starring: SHIKA and TEMA

TEMA-"How do you call those eyes?" (Note: meaning Akatsuki Leader's)

SHIKA-"Who knows, but in lieu to finish this chapter at some point, the authoress can invent that spiral-eyed thing while not altogether correct. It's part of her self-given creative license. Anyways, it's too troublesome to explain it in the middle of the story."

TEMA-"Ah… Can't say I care that much."

But anyways…

Shikamaru leaned over a post at the roof where he usually lays down at to stare at the clouds. The other figure heaved down the tool to the floor with an audible bump.

"You are coming to Konoha a lot lately, it would appear you like it here."

"Tsk," said the woman's voice. "Maybe it's not Konoha as much as something at Konoha... Well, I should get going, unless you need to say something to me."

Shikamaru starred up at the sky. "There's something," he stands up. "It's troublesome but there's no way around it."

"Spit it out already," Temari, the spare hand on her hips, urged him moodily. Shikamaru lowered his head in a sigh.

"My, you are a great mood killer. I was going to ask you out." He almost whined the words. "This is why I said it was troublesome, having to create an atmosphere is not my thing. I'd rather just say it."

Temari tsked with a smile and smugly, "Like you just did, right? You are also bad at creating moods."

"That is what I said."

In a swift motion for such a large object, Temari opened and threw the gigantic fan to the air where it hovered before jumping right up.

"I've sand matters to attend to now," she says, and then she flies up to and kisses Shikamaru on the cheek, "you can invite me dinner when I get back."

Shikamaru responds to her, "Yeah..." and watches her go.

"... my, how troublesome..."

_NARRATOR VOICE: And the authoress survived one more day of frustrated expectant fan's rage…_

----

**Author's Notes2: ****SASU vs ORO...**

SASU- puts a hand on ORO's head "Orochimaru, will I win my battle against Itachi?"

ORO-"I'm not a damned fortune-teller!"

-

KA CHIN!


	4. Battle: The Face of Reality

**Shippuuden – I'll Win My Enemy's Heart, It's My Way of the Ninja!**

By Unborn  
Fandom: Naruto  
Pairings: Naruto/Sasuke  
Rating: PG16  
Spoilers Warning: Shippuuden Manga roughly up to date.

* * *

The sky was starting to turn grey. 

"I like this village, you know why?" A few and then several drops of water started falling from the sky at a rapid and unexpected motion.

"I love rainy days," said this 'leader', smiling. "But today it's bringing an unpleasant smell."

* * *

**Introductory Notes:** This is me updating fast and making all kind of mistakes in the way. Yes, this is "fast". By the way, it's only me or you also get the feeling this Naruto NaruSasu Silly Version is coming a lot like the old Naruto Mangas? 

Version Beta-ed by: **Simple-Minded Idiot. **

* * *

CHAPTER 4-- Battle

A thunder boomed somewhere. Naruto attempted a Naruto Kicking Combo that the other man easily repelled. Kakashi came from behind with a fire-jutsu. Up to now, this man had avoided any unnecessary moves. Naruto went forwards again and retreated as instantly because of this guy's fighting spirit alone.

"Hatake Kakashi," said this man, "your crew killed two of my men and disposed of another one. I've also heard of the Nine-Tails, Uzumaki Naruto."

Sasuke was watching with silent, murderous interest now.

"I know better than to underestimate you," the man continued, "so if you want to attack me with all you've got, you better do it now."

Why was he telling them this?! The Leader made a seal and then a combination of them at an incredible speed, there was no time now to think. Immediately, Kakashi, by Naruto's side, copied every movement. His eyes grew wide when he recognized the last seal. 'That succession--!'

'Fire Element Technique: Powerful Self Implosion!' the face of the other man became deformed, as if sucked from his insides, reaching the point where his body blasted apart in an explosion – but the worst was yet to come because Kakashi's hands were making the seals faster than he was thinking. 'Damn.'

He attempted to jump backwards... he needed to put Naruto out of harm way... but he discovered he was carrying an extra weight:

Naruto was holding on one of Kakashi's fingers, unable-ing him to successfully make the last seal. Naruto was smiling foolishly at him. He had practically broken his finger, but he had just saved his life.

'Ah… I got hasty,' thought Kakashi. But he couldn't believe that man did it. He wasn't bluffing.

The last of the man's explosion smoke disappeared. In its place, only dirt remained. Then, there was clapping behind a tree.

"Bravo! Couldn't expect less from the Copy Ninja." It was the same man. The Leader was alive, and he had not a scratch on him!

'Kage no Bunshin? No. No shadow clone can do that,' thought Sasuke, watching the scene carefully. 'The user should have taken some damage…' But it had been Kakashi's fault to have fallen for such a dubious trap.

"To be able to reproduce my speed," continued the Leader. "Wow. I was praised for it, you know."

----

"How annoying, hm!"

Sakura and Sai were pursuing the blond shinobi who was traveling though the bushes in a giant bird. He was attacked by a hound of dogs made of ink and when he sent his explosive birds, they reacted immediately to dodge them or sought refuge against the explosions.

"Hm! So they know my attacks. Great, I'm the only one on disadvantage here –" Deidra petulantly whined. They had him between a kunai and a wall of explosive clay. He was pushed to resort to pityful skills of defense, hence he used his own clay creation to destroy the art of the expressionless boy.

"Not bad. At this rate, I'll run out of clay, hm. What a waste, why did Sasori-danna have to get himself killed?"

With a tiny amount of clay, he made two double-winged birds which traveled at twice the previous speed.

"_Blast._"

BAM! Both birds detonated upon reaching the young targets' faces, giving them less than a second for reaction. The explosion threw them off long enough for Deidra to pick height and a considerable advantage.

"Damnit." Sakura picked herself up. She had received the gist of damage on both arms for when she covered her face.

"Sakura –" Sai started.

"I'm fine, let's resume pursuit." She looked up, right and left. "Where's he?"

By a waterfall, Deidra removed a boulder and placed the body of the female tree-tails inside a small cave formation. He left her well-tied with chakra strings and replaced the rock back to its previous position, blocking the entry. "Done." He clapped his hands clean. "This is not my job."

Deidra mounted his bird and rose to the sky again.

---- 

It was raining down heavily upon them.

"Kage Bun Jutsu!"

At least 40 Narutos appeared; they were all burning with red chakra. They lunged forwards in what looked like a pointless attack. Then, hidden by the bodies of his own clones, Naruto came forwards with a rasengan. And again, and again 5 times. But, somehow, the man avoided every of these attacks, from every possible angle.

Now, only one Naruto stood. This one glared fiercely at the Leader man. Then, all of the sudden, he pointed at the sky and his face transformed into that of surprise.

"Look! It's that naked blond Akatsuki guy from before!" he exclaimed.

"Where?!" the Leader said immediately, looking to the right–

He caught Naruto's attack within seconds and no effort. "Heh, do you think I would actually fall for that?"

But then, he felt shadowed by a figure somewhere over him.

"_LEADER-SAMA_"

Upon looking up, he discovered...

There was it, Deidra, falling from the sky towards him, arms wide for an embrace and in all his naked glory.

"HEH?!" said the Leader, eyes open wide.

Then "Deidra" raised a fist and had a clean blow at the Leader's face.

The man was thrown back meters while the blond Akatsuki was engulfed in a cloud of smoke. From it came the face and body, now clothed, of a smug Uzumaki Naruto.

"How was that? I call it my Sexy no Jutsu v2: Male Body Appeal!" said a very boastful Naruto.

'So that's what he tried to do last time...' thought Sasuke.

'Just as I thought,' thought Naruto smugly, 'but, what a freak, he actually likes men!'

'Like us,' said the Kyuubi.

'Like us,' agreed Nar—'WHERE DO YOU GOT FROM THAT I LIKE GUYS?!'

But, however ridiculous the jutsu may be, it served its purpose. Kakashi had now a clean opening with which to attack the Akatsuki with Raikiri. That he did, without wasting time complimenting Naruto, yet.

The Rakiri never hit its target.

This man had seized Kakashi by the wrist, "Now more than ever I'm most interested in that Nine-Tails." When Naruto came with Rasengan, he held his wrist too. Then he turned those attacks on each other with the swiftest of motions.

The two looked like rightful dolls, watching helplessly.

Something happened before the fatal blow. It wasn't too clear for Naruto, but he felt himself lifted off his feet and that flash before his eyes soon turned into Kakashi on the floor. Naruto noted, he was injured but alive, not to even mention his own harm-free state. Sakura and Sai were watching them, now back, and Sakura was mouthing…

"Sasuke-kun…" ?

Sasuke had an arm around Naruto's waist, the latter's limps hanging helplessly, and the other hand was holding what appeared to be a chakra-molded sword that was currently piercing though the leader's chest. Plainly and ultimately, Sasuke had put Naruto out of harm's way.

"I thought you wouldn't help them," said the Akatsuki man. He looked mildly surprised but had a too untroubled demeanor for someone having so much blood dripping from his mouth.

"Tell my brother I'm waiting for him," said Sasuke, not one for wasting time, "Tell him that, if he defeats me, he can take Naruto."

'Eh?' thought Naruto.

"Eh?" said the Leader, with that same stupid surprised face. "I'm afraid I won't meet him, but why don't you tell him yourself at the Hidden Village of Rock?"

Sakura, Sasuke, Kakashi, Sai and Naruto barely had time to react to something like this, the man started making seals.

"Lightening No Jutsu: Silent Suicide Technique!" The man was stuck by an electric bolt coming from within and killing him violently and gruesomely. There was less than a man left when he was done, and done he was.

"Another Kamikase Technique," commented Kakashi, looking at the body. There was no mistaking it: these were some of those skills used for desperate situations. Like when held captive, to avoid others to steal information from you.

"Ah, Sasuke," he suddenly said, turning to the younger man. "I feel I must ask too. Why did you change your mind about helping Naruto?"

Ah. He was expecting that question. 'Weak,' hissed a voice that was not his own in Sasuke's mind. 'You only _pretend_ you have control but you are weak.'

Sasuke held a stronger grip on Naruto, making the situation more uncomfortable for the latter, 'At all,' just to drop him to the floor. 'I had already decided, I'll not be told how I should feel, Orochimaru.'

"If you die, I've no way of finding Akatsuki," Sasuke retorted. "Though I have, but it would be somewhat more troublesome."

"Yeah, I know, I know, now take your hands off me," Naruto said, pushing him away further stubbornly. "Stupid Sasuke, thinking he can manhandle me like that…" he muttered. (Kyuubi: 'He can manhandle me anytime he wants') "…under his arm, like some stupid book…"

Sasuke's bit of old self seemed to emerge, he chuckle. "If you want to have the upper hand, Naruto, then become stronger than me."

----

"We weren't expecting them to tell in on their own people," said Kakashi while they were back at traveling though the woods. "It's possible that the Leader had a good reason to give his member away, nonetheless, think this must be a trap."

There was general agreement in the group.

"Well', I'm glad it's the Hidden Village of Rock."

Panting from traveling at such a high speed, the group regarded Kakashi's comment with questioning looks rather than verbal questions. The group could barely keep up. Sasuke was before them, gaining speed with a severe loss of patience.

Kakashi responded as if he had the breath to, "We sent letters to the main villages some time ago expecting us for investigation, but the Hidden Village of Cloud thoughtfully refused to let us in."

'I knew it,' thought Sasuke from the front. Of course, there wasn't much point by straying from the waterfall village to the rain village in one go when the cloud was nearest. Even then, they had opted for a very dumb path though the woods. Kakashi was wasting his time.

Sakura asked, "So, the Hidden Village of Rock…"

"Hasn't yet answered."

The group stopped on its motion with questions of "Eh?" and "So how will we –" Kakashi threw out four objects, one for each.

"That's what these are for."

----

They stopped them at the frontier. Like Kakashi said, the Rock had the tightest security amidst the main countries and a very efficient information network. The guard team had met Team Kakashi, the latter had their faces hidden behind masks.

"Identify yourselves!" said a Rock's guard team leader.

"Oh?" said Kakashi, sounding almost comically lost. "Missing Nin-Hunter squadron from the Leaf. Sorry to come with so short notice, there's no time. We come in pursuit of dangerous criminals that have infiltrated the Rock, we are responsible for one of them –"

Nothing of this had made any impact on them,

"– Itachi, Uchiha" until that point.

The reaction was instant. Shock had struck after those darkly-spoken words. There was hesitation between the group, looks exchanged and weapons lowered. (All of which seemed to fire Sasuke up even more.)

"You might pass," said the guard team leader at last. As Kakashi suspected, the Rock would claim responsibility for almost any invading criminal but just not for Uchiha Itachi. It came as "fortunate" somebody would take care of this job for them, if only to drive them out their country.

For every guard they came across (and there were many), it was the same. Kakashi asked them if they heard anything about the issue and it didn't take long before one of them recognized the pattern of the men's clothes as described by Kakashi with fake enthusiasm. They were pointed to a rock formation at the limit of the city.

Kakashi tried to fill them in on his strategy, planning to throw a dust bomb -an specialty of The Rock- inside the cave they had located them at. This was to drive them out, but Sasuke jumped forwards, brought out his katana and in a swift motion destroyed the rock formation in one go. Two figures like shadows jumped off the crumbling place. One of them was shark-like, Kisame Hoshigaki. The other man before them was no other than Uchiha Itachi.

----

Meanwhile, at the frontier with the grass village, a figure emerged from the bushes. Deidra lowered himself to the floor where he was summoned.

"You made it in one piece," remarked Deidra, impressed.

If the Leader was to boast about it, he never got to. With an expression of surprise, he asked pointing somewhere in Deidra's arm, or what _supposed_ to be there, "Where's the girl?"

Deidra hm-ed! "I left her hidden by a waterfall at the Rain."

A crow flew by.

"But why did you do that?" asked the Leader.

"I'M NOT A DAMNED CLON, DAMN IT!" Deidra said. "I had two after me and that body was extra-weight, and this is not my responsibility."

The Leader sighed miserably, "That means we'll have to go back… _ah_, now I feel unmotivated..."

* * *

Author's Notes1: Sai ('s Silly Techniques Dictionary) vs Sakura ('s Walking General Knowledge Encyclophedia) 

CHIBI-SAI: By general rule, boy/boy romantic comedy is 3 percent plot, 12 percent awkward situations and 70 percent sexual innuendoes of sorts. Authoress Unborn is clearly lacking to obtain a favorable balance, wouldn't you say, Sakura?

CHIBI-SAKURA: (Inner Sakura: Eh? How have been dragged into this conversation?) Wha-what is it that you are trying to imply? (suspicious) Well, but since we are boarding the subject (matter of factly) ... In favor of the theme, I will have it noted, it's not all about the smut a reader of slash and/or yaoi seek for this kind of stories! Those of us who have been drawn to the Naruto fandom have done so even if a 60 percent of the show is on fighting and mostly centering on Naruto.

CHIBI-SAI: I believe the word we are using here is "manhandled." A word that, I believe, appeared over too many times in the last chapter. (tiltes head) It's the potential-kiss catfight syndrome for women, isn't it?

CHIBI-SAKURA: THAT'S NOT IT AT ALL! (/momentary InnerSakura's burst out) But it's not like anything but attractive character would draw those gir—I mean, readers to the gender. Whilst for me, my role in the show from this standpoint becomes ambiguous. What is my role in this fanfic to start with? I feel neglected.

SAI: If I had no dialogues but the concerned "Sasuke…" and "Naruto-kun!", I would feel neglected too.

That night, in bed: Sai couldn't lay on one side of his body.

Final conclusion: Authoress likes boy-on-boy action too. (Note: Refer to chapter 347 Shipuudden)

-

KA CHIN!


	5. Shock! No Sexual Pun Implied?

_**Shippuuden – I'll Win My Enemy's Heart, It's My Way of the Ninja!**_

By Unborn  
Fandom: Naruto  
Pairings: Naruto/Sasuke  
Rating: PG16  
Spoilers Warning: Shippuuden Manga roughly up to date.

**Introductory Notes:** I'm not a fan of battles but let it be known I was trying to give Itachi-vs-Sasuke the attention of a climax everybody expects. This is also a turning point for the coming chapters, more humor coming up! Pray to the Hokage it will be ready sooner this time. 

This Chapter has been kindly beta-ed by Simple-Minded Idiot. And thanks those who reviewed! (I noticed the puntuation errors a bit too late -- but thanks, your inupt has been noted, Linsea and Noor.)

* * *

CHAPTER 5-- Shock

Everybody was on guard.

The shark-like Kisame moved away. It may have been a way to provoke or just his own sordid sense of humor when he invited the 'lady' (Sakura) to play. Sai and Sakura were more than ready to go. On the other hand, in Itachi's wing everything had gone quiet. Naruto was focusing solely at Itachi's feet.

'I knew this would happen,' Kakashi thought. 'The two with the most chakra in the village and the two most intelligent students against two Akatsukis… who do I back up?'

He seized both opponents and his students. 'Let's see, could I balance the teams? Sasuke would only fight Itachi and as much as I think it over, only Naruto has the endurance to fight this battle against the Sharingan of Itachi, even though Sakura is better at dispelling genjutsu...'

'Bah, for some reason I don't feel I'm going to be welcome in _that_ team.' Kakashi then appeared behind Sai and Sakura with that thought in his mind, "Hey, guys! I'm going to keep you company for a while."

He exchanged a glance with Naruto and the latter seemed to understand. "Alright, Kakashi, I'll take care of it!" he said loudly with a grin.

Doesn't Naruto usually call Kakashi... Kakashi-sensei?

"Blockhead, if you're going to look away, why don't you lay down and let them take you?" commented Sasuke with inhumane coldness.

Naruto glared passionately at Sasuke. Sasuke's own eyes were over Itachi and he was ignoring Naruto's loud warning about keeping eyes on Itachi's feet.

His brother ignored the third party and regarded Naruto, "You came to me, Nine-Tails."

Fuming, Sasuke reached for something on his back and retrieved his water bottle. He opened its cap.

"Sasuke, you idiot!" said Naruto instantly. "This is no time for a picnic!"

Suddenly, Sasuke lunged forwards. He and the yellow water from his bottle performed an attack simultaneously. A blade seemed to poke and slash from within. When Itachi repelled them, Sasuke and the water retrieved. The water was starting to take a human shape...

A familiar-looking sword over his shoulder and with a smiling face of pointed teeth, the man before them introduced himself, "Suigetsu: The Missing Nin Water Demon of the Hidden Village of Mist."

"Ah, I get it, _water_ demon nin," considered Naruto, repeating the man's words, "but why yellow?"

"YOU SHOULD KNOW, YOU BASTARD!"

--flashback--  
Naruto zipped his pants.

"This is revenge for insulting my ramen, Sasuke. Let's see how you like the taste of this."

He was holding Sasuke's water bottle.  
--end of flashback--

Kakashi and the other two left in pursuit of Kisame. The teams were now even.

"I see I'm the first again, now," the Water Demon Nin announced, "I'll help Sasuke-kun in getting rid of the bad guys."

He rose his sword for an unpremeditated attack. Only a quarter of second with his defense low was enough of an opening for someone like their opponent. Itachi moved in a speed his own eyes wouldn't be able to keep up with and charged at them with a ball of electric energy –

Sasuke could only watch as his brother took his men, his only man actually, with his own Chidori. The water nin dissolved instantly; he looked severely injured and was absorbed by the soil.

_'Heh heh heh… What did you expect?_' taunted Orochimaru. _'That man knows no loyalty… frail and inept inside that tube for so long… But, well, he never had any reasons to risk his life for Sasuke's cause… Heh heh heh…'_

The storm in Itachi's hand faded, his eyes turned to Sasuke with his expression as impassive as ever, "And wait to see what I learned from the Nine-Tails, little brother."

Naruto's eyes widened. The motion was interrupted by a thumping sound, made when Sasuke threw two kunais to the floor which instantly turned into the bodies of a young male and a female with a puff .

"Where's that bum Suigetsu?" asked the smart-looking kunoichi who was in a fighting stance. The grim-looking Sasuke gave her no answer.

"There's no reason for you to stay," Sasuke called back, without any falter in his voice or stare, "you can go, Naruto."

Go? "What are you talking about, Sasuke-teme?!" But just how many people _was_ Sasuke carrying in his pockets?!

"Our opponent is a guy," said the man. He turned to the side and noted, "Our ally is a guy, too."

"Juugo, remember what we said: keep your eyes on the goal," said Karin sternly.

They were fools to be taking Itachi this lightly, but Sasuke had planned an end for him which consisted of power, intelligence, and pain. Now he just needed to execute it.

"Commence," ordered Sasuke.

With that one word, the new group of three began a simultaneous attack. The speed, the killing intent, and the precision of their moves… they were an effective battling team. They seemed hindered by a space that Suigetsu should have taken, but they were coordinated enough to fill up for the missing member. They were a team. The Snake seemed to cascade over Itachi in waves.

Naruto's expression went stony with outrage. 'He replaced me?!' (and the Kyuubi said, 'KILL THE COMPETITION!')

They were true shinobis, tools of battle… but something went wrong.

The two teammates suddenly froze mid seal-making. The next image of Itachi was of him coming out from the ground like a perfect worm – a copy of Sharingan Kakashi's attack.

Naruto was boiling in red-chakra as he furiously yelled, "Look at his feet, you fools!"

A blue ball of energy started to concentrate in Itachi's fist. In a second, Itachi had blown those two away with Rasengan.

It had been a precision mistake. The one late in their attack was…

Sasuke.

By the time he called the attack out to retreat, it was late. Sasuke was on his own kind of shock-still state. His thinking was suppressed by emotional chaos.

His sight had gone blurry, his balance was failing. What was this? Was he going blind? Was this some trick of Itachi? How?

The hiss signaled him to reach for Orochimaru in his mind. There was a complaint: 'no fair, no peeking!' but he was far from outraged; Orochimaru was downright amused.

'Effects of Sharingan usage?' When his sight could make an image at last, he had gotten the glimpse of his brother's immaculate vacant stare.

But that might have been an illusion when he found himself staring back at a couple of different red eyes.

"Bastard," Naruto said. "You're lucky I don't step out from a battle because it doesn't agree with me."

Naruto was holding both of Itachi's wrists with his back at Itachi; his teeth were bared and his face had an intense, teeth-baring glare, directed at Sasuke. He was facing Sasuke between the two Uchihas.

"I know you don't want to be saved… but," he spoke though a smile and gritted teeth, "we are a nin village, Konoha. It's not like you had to go elsewhere to find good shinobi, you dumbass. _I'm_ a shinobi, too."

Naruto struggled hard to keep Itachi still. Sasuke lost only a second of consideration while it looked as if Naruto's words had opened his eyes. He then brought out a sword-shaped electric energy and aimed it at Naruto's side.

And he might have succeeded to hurl that thing though the both of them had Naruto not jumped out of the way, releasing his brother while doing so. Naruto fell on his butt, panting, while Sasuke regarded him with an indifferent stare.

"You moved," remarked Sasuke with dead ease.

"Of course, you were going to Chidori my head off!" retorted an outraged single-tailed boy. "Why did you do that?!"

"What do you mean? After that speech, I thought you planned to sacrifice yourself."

"I was saying 'I'm a shinobi too, you should follow my example'!"

"_Sasuke, to your right!_"

The sound of Karin's voice seemed to fade mid-sentence.

Sasuke heard the strangled sound of death from within his mind.

--

Sasuke hissed in self reproach as he noticed his surroundings. He had been training especially to recognize it. How foolish of him. He had let himself be trapped by Itachi's Mangekyou Sharingan.

He knew instantly what would happen when the figure of Kakashi appeared. He looked at the scene with disgust but he would keep a cool head. It was only Itachi's illusion.

It became slightly less easy to do that when he watched the doll-like, helpless Sakura, bathed in her own blood, as Itachi continuously beat her with one hand and held her suspended in the air with the other, only to hurl a katana though her chest when she could barely struggle.

Sasuke repeated, almost unconsciously, his mantra, fighting to control his anger and keep his cool head. 'It's only Itachi's illusion. It's only Itachi's illusion.' He had to break though this eventually. 'It's pointless to try to gain on me like this, brother,' he thought.

And then, in the next blink of an eye, it was the figure of Naruto's back as he ran, with a Rasengan under his arm and the distinctive sound of his war-cry.

Sasuke's only thoughts were, "Baka!" and that tinny voice that said "it's only Itachi's illusion" became of second importance, long and slowly fading into a blank mind.

Besides himself, his heart jumped, and he found that he was subconsciously stepping forwards - part of him knowing it was silly to say anything for it was an illusion - knowing that his voice, that which he was hearing himself speak, was part of this induced show. The other part of him was staring, with his heart obstructing his throat, wanting to scream along.

In a couple of painful seconds, Naruto was penetrated and tore apart by the katana, leaving a trail of blood at his wake.

And Sasuke lost the battle.

"No!" he screamed, and cried out again and again as the scene was repeated multiple times from every kind of different angle, concentrating in that one cracking point. Why? He had expected this; Itachi would come at him up front when he grew tired of playing with his emotions. He had broken his ties for this moment…

Sasuke let out a loud, blood-chilling scream of pain that was generous in emotion.

Now the tears blurred his sight. He couldn't cover his ears nor close his eyes to the endless images and silent screams of despair, even his own sobs, while he screamed for the torture to stop. He couldn't lose to Itachi. No. He couldn't…

"_Sasuke!_" He heard Naruto crying his name without hearing it and his eyes rose.

"_Mangekyou Sharingan_."

Sasuke looked up and he could see the outsides again. He could see… Suigetsu holding Itachi with his last breath, while Naruto, like in his nightmare illusion, was coming towards Itachi with a mad expression, holding some sort of Rasengan in his arm and… Sakura looking back at him, prey of the Mangekyou.

It only took a second for Sasuke to react and dispel it but a second was a lot of time for the illusionary Sharingan Technique. Sakura, however, was stepping up against all odds, muttering zombie-like, "Naruto…"

And without really seizing her clumsy actions, she turned and moved at the highest speed she could muster to catch up to the raging Naruto who had some sort of odd lost look on his face, to finally catch him by the arm.

'I get it,' thought Sasuke. Genjutsu. Both Naruto and him had fallen for it.

But neither Sasuke nor everyone else could think of anything when Naruto, as a mechanical reaction to the touch in his current state, turned around with his Wind Rasen Shuriken towards Sakura. It took him a moment to wake up and the attack ghosted over Sakura's skin.

Sakura was now on the floor and Naruto… his left hand was useless.

A blood-chilling cry at their right summoned their attention to Suigetsu, whom Itachi had given the final blow to. Naruto seemed in shock and Sasuke was in a similar state. Both Sasuke's new teammates were at lost, Kakashi was engaged in battle with Kisame and unable to move while Sai had moved to take Sakura.

Suddenly, red chakra sprung from Naruto and a similar power started covering Sasuke's face in marks. They lunged forwards with a kamikaze intention, one with a lightening sword and the other with a ball of energy in its purest state. A Naruto Shadow Clone held on Itachi the same way Suigetsu had done. Both blows struck at once. They almost repelled each other at the center…

--

Kakashi opened his lone eye only to see an empty hospital room. Ah, they were back at Konoha then. Sakura — No, if they weren't here by his side, they were by Sakura's. It meant that she had to be alive, maybe in a grave state though…

Kakashi closed his eyes. It was most unfortunate, how things had happened. His performance during this mission had been catastrophic. He lost his cool, made too many mistakes… he shouldn't have left Naruto to use that jutsu.

'His left hand…' he thought as he remembered watching him. It was his left hand that was deemed useless, and his left left hand that which had been wielding the powerful Wind Rasen Shuriken.

'I knew it,' he told himself. 'Naruto had planned it like that. That's why he had been practicing with the Kunai basic throwing techniques, with the left.'

To think that he mastered that move right at that moment.

Kakashi sent a wistful look at the door, dying to walk though it…

Well, he needed sleep now. It was no use worrying like this.

* * *

O-MAKE-CHIBIS: Unconscious Sakura... 

NARU: Sakuraaaaaa!! (cries over Saku's laying form)

SAKU: (looks peaceful and pretty as people mourn over her)

NARU: (takes one of her hands in his, tear) I promise to you, next time I put you though a jutsu of mine, it will be the Sexy No Jutsu: Male Appeal Version!

SAKU: (is looking slightly less peaceful and pretty...)


	6. Back? His Eyes His Conclusion

**_Shippuuden – I'll Win My Enemy's Heart, It's My Way of the Ninja!_**  
By Unborn  
Fandom: Naruto  
Pairings: Naruto/Sasuke  
Rating: PG16  
Spoilers Warning: Shippuuden Manga roughly up to date.

**Introductory Notes:** Special extra long chapter, slashy… and slightly Sasuke/Suigetsu-y. On other news, did anybody understand last Shippuuden chapter?! Proximately, watch out for drama.

* * *

CHAPTER 6: Back

That day was Naruto's birthday. Not that it mattered; to the villagers it meant only the day the Nine-Tails Fox was fought against and sealed by the Fourth, and the memory didn't praise Naruto's existence.

The cursed day, it wasn't like he was getting presents or thrown a party.

"Hey, Naruto, I heard you were back!" said Kiba upon meeting him outside the hospital doors with a growing crowd.

"So am I, so am I!" said a cheerful Naruto. Today was going to be the day; he was received by a multitude of fans like the true hero he was.

"So where is Sasuke?"

The minute of fantasizing was over, and welcome be heavy cold reality. Yeah, Sasuke. The mass chorused in different intervals, "Eh? And Sasuke?", "Where's Sasuke, Naruto?"

'_Yeah, where's Sasuke, Naruto?'_ drawled Kyuubi.

"You girls are all the same!" Naruto ranted. He had just made it out of that place, away from the fangirls, and was throwing stones at the river in a moody fashion. "Won't a single one of you not drool for bleeding '_Sasuke-kun'_?"

In his solitary spot at the bridge, Naruto watched the ripples in the water. Sasuke won't be appearing. He had the luxury to be an anti-social with that hugely proportioned deal of conceiting he got from just lifting a finger. It was already difficult to have Sasuke look at him from a distance with his fangirls on everycorner, soon he would have to cue to be– I mean, to have a match with him!

"Stupid Sasuke, only because everybody likes him…" Naruto started saying, then he pulled on his hairs– "What am I saying? I don't like Sasuke, at all! At all!"

The sound of Naruto's loud statement extended though Konoha.

When Kisame fled, it was with Naruto with only one good arm, a fainting Kakashi from effort, a dazed Sasuke whose sight was still blurry and an unconscious Sakura in Sai's arms. With the efforts of Sasuke and Naruto together, they carried Kakashi and traveled for two days straight without any sleep, back to the Leaf.

The name on everybody's lips was: Uchiha Sasuke.

The guards at the gates of Konoha held the intention of arresting Sasuke but they let them in as soon as they saw the two unconscious forms. The next group of ANBU left saying they would contact the hospital and have them a bed ready. When Naruto asked about Tsunade, they told them the Hokage already was informed of the situation. Escorted by various ANBUs, the growing group traveled though the Leaf leaving curious gazes at their wake.

That's how, after a preliminary inspection, the Godaime Hokage herself went to their meeting. Naruto leaped to his feet at once with the urgency of somebody whose butt was on fire.

"Tsunade-baba," he started.

Sai had stood as well, though his eagerness was shadowed by Naruto's. Sasuke, in great effort not to stumble like a drunk-man, clumsily knocked a base off its stand. The Godaime Hokage had a minute to take in loses and circumstances into consideration, much as they were concerned by a fast medical verdict. Her eyes rested in Naruto. '_The boy's arm… That foolish boy…'_

"Old-lady Tsunade!" he urged her, "Kakashi-sensei and Sakura-chan –"

Something flashed in the Hokage's eyes which was gone the next instant; a feeble sign emotion which was replaced by the usual non-preoccupied, bossy attitude.

"Kakashi is fine, and as for Sakura," she nodded, a smug smile in place, "her life is not in danger."

"Alright!" said Naruto at once, punching the air with his good hand.

Sai nodded formally and took that as authorization for his dismissal. Sasuke left too looked, his hands constantly looked for support against walls; at this point, everybody thought it was a sign of exhaustion. Tsunade thought just how lucky Naruto was not to notice. But Sakura had walked though it, she had vital signs. The worse she had overcome, though she hadn't made it unscarred.

Well, there will be time for worry later.

--

'Orochimaru.'

Sasuke felt himself trip on a step. He closed his eyes; only then he could concentrate.

'Orochimaru,' he insisted. But his mind got no answer, and though forcefully working his Sharingan, he finally realized the obvious. He had lost Orochimaru in the battle.

Pity. He would have been useful to know more of these Sharingan effects. Sasuke had no choice but to turn off the Sharingan for now. Without further information, it was a risk. His eyes returned to a pit black color, but the world was stable again to his eyes.

They had been lucky. Kakashi was probably only exhausted from the use of Sharingan in his unprepared body, as per usual and, with the right medical attention and Naruto's rapid rate of healing, Naruto was going to be right. Sakura, though, was going to be a different story. She had been exposed to the Mangekyo – _his_ Mangekyo no Sharingan, no matter for how little.

"U-Uchiha, Sasuke-kun."

A small group of ANBU had reunited with him at the roof. Ah, he knew this should happen soon.

"Uchiha Sasuke, you must—" the man hesitated and the other members with him, behind their masks. "No… nevermind."

Sasuke had stood and turned, in fact, ready to go with them. Now he realized his previous actions and wondered why was he so readily going to let himself be taken prisoner of.

The ANBU retired. He didn't expect it, but it seemed the village was torn between regarding him a friend or an enemy in a situation of crisis. Or was it just pity for his fallen comrades?

But Sakura would be sleeping for a couple of days more because of mental stress. Once they discovered the cause of Sakura's state, they would come very readily to try to arrest him. It just added to his reasons to leave the Leaf forever, so it made no difference.

But for some reason, Sasuke decided to postpone his decision of whether he should stay and take care of them clean-handed or leave before that time came.

--

"_Ah! He told us to say something to you." _

_Half holding the weight of Kakashi, Naruto was working an expression of pensiveness in his face._

"_His words were…" Naruto recounted, "'Bravo to the heroes that defeated my sensei Zabuza' and 'I enjoyed fighting alongside Sasuke.' "_

"So that was Zabuza's man," noted Kakashi.

"Four men team, that's what I'm used to," Sasuke replied, his stare vacant.

"Just not your old four-men team, right?" Kakashi replied, inquisitive. "You held Orochimaru because you couldn't have Sakura and you teamed with Suigetsu, Kirin and Juugo because you couldn't have Naruto."

Sasuke did not acknowledge Kakashi's statement with an answer. He then changed the subject, "This is not what I came to talk about." He turned to look at Kakashi with a serious expression.

It was only an hour past midday at that moment.

"Sharingan effects?"

It was difficult to make apart the times when Kakashi was truly lost and when he was fooling around: at both times he had that dumb look on his face. "Um, as you describe the symptoms…Yes, I've a vague idea what it is," Kakashi finished, his expression growing suddenly solemn. "You better not use the Sharingan for a while."

Sasuke merely regarded his old sensei with frowning silence. 'Going blind at a time like that, what bad luck,' Kakashi thought.

"But what will you do now? You mission is over and a success, may I add," continued Kakashi. 'The Sharingan will die with me,' sounded much more rational while Itachi was alive.

"I told Karin and Juugo to wait for me on the North Gate, but I doubt they stayed." (You might be surprised, thought Kakashi.) "And I lost my fourth man as you know."

"That guy," said Kakashi nodding. "But it doesn't really answer my question. Oh, Sasuke!" Kakashi suddenly said, and his fooling-around overacted enthusiasm returned to his voice. "Have you changed your mind on starting your clan over at Konoha?"

"You seem to bring that subject an often lot lately," Sasuke retorted.

Kakashi plainly answered, "Back at the time, you cared about the resurrection of your clan."

Sasuke's demeanor, if barely, changed from his silent mood. It was not his tone or expression but the subject he decided to board that shifted his character, "You mentioned Naruto the other time, why?"

Kakashi blinked. "Oh? This subject is unlike you, Sasuke."

"Just answer my question," Sasuke said curtly. But his expression revealed nothing of what he was thinking at the time.

'_You will regret it.'_

Sasuke had to admit to having an inner conflict. He had underestimated the effects of Naruto's death to his mind. The death of Itachi left him… feeling relief but, unsatisfied. Instead of closing a chapter, it appeared to open a whole book which he had denied to acquaint with slight desperation.

And if he was blunt honest with himself and stopped getting distracted from the matter with whatever, like Sakura's state or Sharingan's effects, then he would have to board that subject: Naruto. In fact, he would have to face that bubbling sensation in his stomach that was erupting by the name alone.

Kakashi mh-ed and replied truthfully, "Just joking. It just so happen to be the person you care the most about, right?"

Sasuke did not answer but mechanically went to the window, opening it wide. A healthy breeze reached them.

"I hear footsteps coming," were Sasuke's only explanation.

"Ah, yes, I believe Gai has come to pay me a visit," responded Kakashi, his visible eye making it clear it wasn't a prospect he was looking forwards to. Wordlessly, Sasuke jumped at the window and though it.

Absent-minded, Sasuke by-passed the hospital grounds where he settled for a moment. He spotted the window which he knew to be of Sakura's room. Maybe it was out of the responsibility he felt, that he stayed. He felt naked without his Sharingan, and he felt weak without a purpose. He felt, in all true honesty, still shook and unsettled.

The wind blew the scent of dry leaves in early autumn. A murmur of voices sounded faint at the distance. The village of Konoha had never been quieter, except for the flowing breeze and rustle of tree leaves.

It became clear now. Try as he may to deny it, he would be made a fool once more if he let facts slap him in the face like before.

"Naruto."

He muttered.

"Naruto," he said this time more resolutely. He'd not be beating around a bush for long or he would risk trying his own patience. He could test out waters but, at some point or another, the real thing should emerge and how should it be put? How could he make his intentions known, clear for Naruto to understand and… what were his intentions?

He supposed he could say he wanted to stay at Konoha, become an ANBU, and Naruto might try to kick his ass, and that he wouldn't mind staying his rival to keep him on shape. He could tell him he will be there as his right hand, before and after he became Hokage, saving his ass from his own mistakes, and be by his side fore—

What's wrong with him and these corny thoughts?!

"Naruto…" Sasuke murmured.

"What, teme?!" Naruto responded.

"Since when have you been standing there?" Sasuke replied without shredding sweat.

Maybe if shinobis weren't supposed to silently creep over behind people's backs, Sasuke would have indulged himself on requesting Naruto not to bleeding sneak up on him like that. Naruto was standing there, looking irritated… and, somewhere beneath that, puzzled.

"What have you come to do over here?" Sasuke asked, looking at him coldly.

What little other feeling was reflected in Naruto before was swarmed up by the growing predominance of his annoyance.

"What, what!? You called me!" Naruto complained. "You were repeating _'Naruto! Naruto! Naruto!'_ You'd think you'd have something interesting to say."

There was a prolonged pause in Sasuke's thoughts. (As a strange sidenote, flashing somewhere in Sasuke's mind, he thought Naruto was rambling about 'smell of ramen' and by chance was looking up, left and right as if expecting ramen to rain on top of him any minute.)

"Yes," Sasuke said finally. This situation was as good as any other. "Naruto –"

"What now!"

Naruto had turned to him faster than you could say miso-ramen. "Why hasn't it recovered?" Sasuke was gesturing Naruto's limp arm and felt hot around the cheeks in spite of himself.

"Only overworked it, overworked it!" Naruto said quickly and grinning, "Nothing to worry about."

"I was merely asking out of curiosity, it doesn't mean I care," said Sasuke a tad bit petulantly. Why did everybody think he held Naruto dearest to him? And why had he been agreeing with that train of thought again? For what we could gather Sasuke may have been brainwashed by all these opinions of him and his misinterpreted feelings.

Under the acknowledgment, of course, that there _were_ "feelings" in the first place…

"Of course I forget you are an unfeeling prick," Naruto started, his expression quite suddenly suffering a regression to his annoyed state, "but I know you are a cold, heartless bastard!"

So maybe he had not been brainwashed after all…

"And they are looking for you," Naruto added, bad-tempered and pouting. "Lee, Kiba, Ino, some others..." _EVERYBODY!_ "They heard you were at Konoha. I 'pose they'll want to hear of your exciting quest for Itachi..."

Sasuke regarded the whining Naruto with a raised eyebrow. "You have been following my movements," it was not a question.

"_'Sasuke killed Orochimaru and is here to save the word'_ or something like that," Naruto grunted. "Even outside Konoha you steal the spotlight."

Naruto was not half as annoyed as he pretended to sound. Sasuke merely watched him, oddly at peace. He would have to thank _him_ for that.

--FLASHBACK--  
"_Suigetsu," Sasuke started, "Stop making up rumors on me. They have no purpose."_

_The Snake Company was stopping by the woods back at that time while on journey._

"_Really, I just want to know what the killer of my old sensei Zabuza is like," Suigetsu retaliated. "And the hero of the village in the Country of Water."_

"_Is it okay for a demon to be so corny?" Sasuke had asked._

"_Is it okay for a hero to be this cold?" Suigetsu had replied.  
_--END OF FLASHBACK--

--

Naruto had returned home by the evening with his face dirty where Sasuke had pushed it to the ground in that small sparring session. They had been talking all normally until Naruto asked him if he was going to meet with Sakura. Sasuke avoided the issue by unwittingly noting Naruto's popularity (as in friends) which Naruto took as a sarcastic remark. Somehow that led to whom was closest to Sakura now and how Sai was better fitted to become Naruto's "girlfriend."

But now Sasuke found himself in his doorsteps in Uchiha ceremonial (that is to say fancy) robes and a pot of ramen in his hand (that is to say, Naruto's way for a bouquet of flowers). He was repeating himself mantras to justify what he was doing which appeared only to increase the sweat forming on his face and the steam coming from his neck, which was practically as blinding as any Sharingan effects.

He thought to have heard noise from the other side of the door upon reaching it, a mechanical motion followed by knocking. Then, a thought occurred to him— What if there was somebody over at Naruto's?

"Oy, someone here?" asked Naruto, peering down the corridor from the door... Uchiha Sasuke was walking at an unnatural fast speed out of the premises.

Having been recognized and without a route of escape, Sasuke had no choice but to turn around. Doing otherwise would add to his defeat as the _mission_ was not completed. He started to walk back, but upon sight of Naruto's confused expression, his mind raced for some kind of excuse. Mutely, he threw the pot at Naruto, who eyed it puzzled.

"T-this is, you," Naruto stammered, "you bought me ramen?"

And Naruto's eyes filled with tears. It made it difficult for Sasuke to be concerned with this situation with Naruto making his break out of here this easy. "Baka, don't get too excited about it," said Sasuke.

He hesitated. He was about to ask Naruto to invite him in. It seemed like the subsequent course of action… He didn't like the idea of a treating Naruto ramen outside. In fact, the consideration was left to die when he noted the disadvantages with the distraction and lack of privacy. But now, before his doorsteps, and altogether new consideration opened to his eyes. And he was –do we dare say it?– terrified.

Naruto stepped into the kitchen. That left Sasuke standing at the apartment corridor on his own. What should he do then? Maybe it was better if he were his way now–

"Hey, Sasuke! Didn't you bring something for yourself?" Naruto poked his head from the kitchen door. "What are you doing standing on the doorway?"

"I was leaving," Sasuke said.

Part number one of his urged: '_Yay! Go go go go go go!'_  
Inner part number two called: _'What are you doing, you coward! Turn around and face Naruto like a man!'_

"Eh? You came by just to buy me dinner?" Naruto asked.

Now, Naruto was no unintelligent boy. Rough, hasty, ungracious, yeah... the point being? Yes, he definitely smelled something on the air, and it wasn't the ramen alone. The blond was smirking. "Sasuke, could it be you're saying sorry?"

Like with everything else, Sasuke stayed silent.

"Baaaka! You don't need to do that… Ah? What am I saying? Yes you do! After all those years of abusing of my good intentions! I had to drag my ass all around the world looking for you!" He pointed at Sasuke. "You'll have to buy me loads and loads of ramen to earn my forgiveness. Maybe, if you treat me ramen every day for the rest of your life, only maybe…"

He didn't finish the idea; drool was coming from his mouth. Sasuke tsked.

"Moron, who's want that desperate your forgiveness?" Naruto glared with anger, Sasuke smirked. "When I want to buy you dinner, it'll be because I feel like it."

Naruto's seemly lost expression suddenly brightened with a beaming smile.

"Thanks, Sasuke!" he said, rubbing the back of his head sheepishly. "I take back that I said about you being a cold, unfeeling bastard. You are actually quite a nice guy!"

If Sasuke had got the time or will to do it, he would have tilted his head.

"I thought nobody knew about it," Naruto continued, the grin not leaving his face and a slight blush creeping to his cheeks. "But you even got me a birthday present!"

Sasuke stared – good thing he had such control of his facial expressions he barely showed his surprise. Naruto was still laughing feebly, rubbing the back of his head. So Sasuke lowered his face, tsking. Little did Naruto realize who he was tsking to.

Now Sasuke felt he should have gotten him something better for a present than ramen. "Happy Birthday, Naruto."

Naruto simply beamed at him.

--

"So, when are you planning to check on Sakura?"

If Jiraya couldn't pop his nose into a bathroom, it had to be somebody else's business. The Godaime Hokage Tsunade was a busy woman, couldn't he tell from the large pile of papers sitting on her desk?

OK, so, said Godaime Hokage Tsunade was half-heatedly looking for an excuse out of the subject. Even Jiraya would nag her today, it appeared. Jiraya wasn't easy to fool (not unless you distracted him with a harem of young ladies) and she was well-aware what the priorities were.

"Actually, I don't need a second check-up," she finally said, the pen in her hand wobbling between her fingers. Jiraya propped an elbow over his knee, sitting over the window stool.

"So you have kept the complete diagnosis from Naruto." It was a statement and an obvious one at that. He was almost solemn as he said this, weird as it was for the word to even exist in his dictionary.

"If I had destroyed his friend on the same day I failed to help her, Sakura'd have hated me," Tsunade answered.

There was a moment when only the chirping of birds sounded.

"She hasn't woken up?" Jiraya finally asked.

"My bet is tomorrow."

At that moment, Jiraya thought that he probably shouldn't remind Tsunade she was bad at betting.

* * *

O-MAKE-CHIBIS Presents-- Love Confession

Author's Notes: _Sasuke was a step away from revealing his true feelings to Naruto! Naruto is gay? What will happen now?_

GAARA: Naruto was that person that taught me a life of love. Naruto, I want you to love me...

NAR: G-Gaara...?!

NEJI: I'm not tied to an unevitable fate anymore, thank to him. That's why, Naruto, marry me!

NAR: N-N-Neji?!

SAI: Ah, I'm learning new things about people every day. Naruto, let me satisfy my homo-sexual curiosity with you

NAR: SAI--!!!

KABUTO: Go out with me, Naruto-kuuuuuun!

I know, lame pun. Meanwhile, somewhere else, neglected...

SAK: rampage state _Easy already on the Naruto-Lovers Not-So-Anonymous introductions! SHANNAROOOOOO!_


	7. State: Tsunade's Real Veredict

**_Shippuuden - I'll Win My Enemy's Heart, It's My Way of the Ninja!_**  
By Unborn  
Fandom: Naruto  
Pairings: Naruto/Sasuke  
Rating: PG16  
Spoilers Warning: Shippuuden Manga roughly up to date.

**Introductory Notes:** A.K.A When Slash actually happens… By the way, I tend to attempt copying the feel of the Naruto show, and the Naruto show/manga is usually fan subtitled so I guess I could write better. Speaking the devil, after so many manga revelations, my story strays more and more from the canon... but that was to be expected. (Sidenote: HA! SaixSakura, baby.)

On to the show if you only watched the anime!

* * *

CHAPTER 6: State

"Bring him to me."

Tsunade rested her head behind her hands. She had postponed this on a mere fling. The doors of her office opened with only a brief pause and Sasuke was standing behind, two ANBUs on either side, which retired upon command.

The doors of the office closed again. The young missing nin waited with no one but the Hokage and her student Shizune for silent company.

Tsunade brought a sheet to her lazy eye range as if it was the first time she read it. "Uchiha Sasuke, this village has vanished you. You're a fugitive returning without a pass permit or escort and should be treated no different than a criminal."

"Tsunade-sama," Sasuke was prepared to speak, but Tsunade stopped him.

"There'll be no need for that formality. The truth of the matter is that you're a missing nin. There's no room for someone like you here."

The room went silent.

"But it would be unfair to let Sakura and Naruto's efforts go to waste."

Sasuke didn't breathe a sigh of relief, but an imperceptible breath escaped him and his heart quickened with relief. The Fifth's expression, however, stayed the same lazy cold and unperturbed face.

"What will you do under these charges, Uchiha Sasuke?"

--

It was a bright shining morning in Konoha.

Naruto Uzumaki was sheepishly sitting up on his bed. A sleepy smile was plastered in his face until he found the impulse to wonder what was he smiling about. He frowned at that point, but nothing to really shake his good mood.

Last night. It had not been bad. Sasuke stayed for as long as his lone company was tolerable with minimal sparring considered. They ate in period of silent company and loud, raving arguments about nothing. Naruto lost once or twice. But nothing got in his good mood.

It was just at the start of this fairly good morning while Naruto was walking the streets of Konoha that he ran on to Sasuke, who was leaning on a wall as if just waiting for him. The Teme wasn't gone from Naruto's side for very long these days, eh? That brought back the sheepish smile from this morning.

"Oy! Sasuke!"

Though the call was loud, it was never louder than having the source of it suddenly pop beside you with that freak-o grin on his face, like he couldn't be the happiest little fox in the whole while world. Sasuke, who was just beginning to keep it cool, turned his head away feigning antipathy with a blush.

Blush? No way! Naruto reasoned, with a surge of pride, that he had startled Sasuke. Heh. Yes, nothing could get into his good moo—

"_Sasuke-kun!_" the shrieking voice of a female summoned their attention to their backs. No, voices. A congregation of people were turning heads their direction and sound of heavy footsteps, as in a stampede, were going for them.

"Baka, you are loud," was Sasuke's annoyed response before they were swarmed by a multitude of people gathering, pushing and squirming through itself if only to get a look. Of Sasuke, that is, while Naruto was roughly pushed away, to his growing irritation. Leading the group was Ino. The others he didn't bother registering.

"Naruto-niichan," said a voice by his side.

Konohamaru was staring at Naruto, who was sitting on his butt on the floor.

"Naruto-niichan," he repeated, "How does a ninja loose his balance like that? You're embarrassing yourself."

_Konohamaru, you too?!_ Naruto stood before you could say "miso ramen" and pointed a fierce finger Konohamaru's way. "What do you mean, loosing balance! I was attacked unprepared, that's all!"

"That's even worse, Naruto-niichan," said Konohamaru self-importantly.

Despite the chaos in the fangirling cloud that was going on about those two, Sasuke had picked their conversation. "Hn. If it speaks like a monkey and moves like monkey, it must be a monkey."

Naruto spun faster than you could say kunai. "What was that, you scumbag?!" He stomped down, pointed a finger Sasuke's way.

"A one-legged chair has more balance than you, Usuratonkachi," Sasuke called out tsking. He turned to the young genin, "You shouldn't hang out with a klutz, it might rub up on you. Naruto stands out in a crowd like a tree in the desert sand." He tsked, "unlike a real ninja."

Naruto shook his fist and grr-ed Sasuke's way. "Shut up, teme! I've been training Konohamaru myself, and he is privileged to be MY student! The one who will be the Future Hokage!" He stood up proudly at his words, a mental nod for everything he said. "He has improved loads too! I'll show you! Konohamaru!"

"Hai!"

They posed to their best impression of Gai and Lee. "Teach him the jutsu that we have trained so hard!"

That was only codename for the one and only of Naruto's jutsus (and Naruto would secretly have the fun of his life watching the expression on Sasuke's face.)

Naruto and Konohamaru held the crowd's attention; Naruto smiled proudly while Konohamaru made the seal with a quick "hai!"

When the puff of smoke cleared, two equally naked, flat-chested figures with the faces of Sasuke and Naruto stood in close proximity in Konohamaru's Sexy no Jutsu: boy-on-boy version, a ghostly echo calling "teme teme teme"

(N/A: Just because.)

A startled-slash-outraged scream got caught on Naruto's throat in the form of an undignified choke, the cold wind whistled, and the crowd stilled with collective shock and a perpetual mental buzz, eyes budging out of their sockets. In slow mumbling reactions, the crowd started off already making comments of: 'Is that's what he taught the boy?'

Naruto missed the old innocent Konohamaru. There was a time, long ago, when he felt affection for the little traitorous backstabbing brat!

Immediately following that sore realization, Naruto got into soundless spazzing, screaming at Konohamaru without emitting legible sound. Meanwhile Sasuke tsked, all high and mightily to show any embarrassment over the little smirk and turning away. "That's it? You had already shown that to me, baka."

And then Naruto had a flashback to the failed Sexy no Jutsu in the forest, male form stark naked Naruto…

And then he just wanted to kill Sasuke.

However, as swift as only Uchiha Sasuke could be, he turned with a level drawl to the crowd and bluntly announced, "Yesterday was Naruto's birthday."

The crowd stilled one more time. Then, progressively, snapped out of it.

That was the trick to draw positive crowd attention to Naruto alright. Suddenly he had people just ignoring his pervert teaching (or so Ino put it, all lecture-like yet, still displaying a blush) and drive 80 of their attention to Naruto. So they were cool to him and Naruto got a lot more ramen.

It also served as distraction as Sasuke disappeared. It wasn't until the afternoon it started all over: Naruto had been just his way to Sakura's room at the hospital when Sasuke appeared again.

This time Sasuke was straightforwardly waiting for him, coming from behind the alley and standing in his usual Uchiha glory with one hand on his pocket just to look cool. His eyes were fixed on Naruto like ignited by some kind of determination.

If Naruto allowed himself a brief moment of deliberation, Sasuke, he'd noice, had been acting strange this morning. Yesterday he had been too nice, too; though up to that point Naruto hadn't cared enough to question it too much. Or he just didn't mind this Sasuke, who was probably doing this because of some guilt trip. If he was feeling bad about going away and making the team go through all those troubles, then he very well should be! So that was fine.

But Naruto didn't pick the difference between a tomato-red Sasuke doing a disappearing act, and this suddenly-pale-in-in-comparison Sasuke. Especially after an explicit sexy-no-jutsu display involving himself and Naruto. Totally slipped his notice.

Naruto stopped a short way from where Sasuke stood, scowling. Naruto's eyes were mirrored the teme's, if only as an act of reflex, an icecream treat on his hand (courtesy of one of the boys, Kiba he thinks. Weird, he never thought of Kiba as the Sasuke- fanboying type.)

"Oy, Teme," Naruto started, annoyed, neglected ice-cream dangling dangerously on its cone. "If you have something to say, say it already."

And Sasuke's resolution dissolved once more.

"B-baka, who says I've something to say to you?!"

"If you haven't got anything to say why are you following me around?" Naruto said defensively, but pouted; this better not drive Sasuke away now! He covered up quickly by saying, "I'm on my way to visit Sakura."

He shrugged as if to make clear he wasn't inviting him. He was, in a non-straightforward way, but not. Kind of. He may not have anything too big against Sasuke… Actually, he didn't have any troubles with the Sasuke-stalking either. Wait, he did. Why, that bastard, always stealing the spotlight!

Speaking about the Bastard.

Sasuke just said turning around, "It won't take long. Follow me." And he started moving again.

--

Tsunade snorted into her covering hands, Shizune was flabbergasted. Sasuke's impassive form started to change as he felt more and more like he was naked before the Hokage.

Playing the last events in his head, he had to admit he could have as well lain down and buried his grave around him.

Sasuke had made his declaration after a brief pause, and spoke as he had planned: "I wish to be allowed to stay in Konoha. I'm willing to subject to your conditions and I'll accept any arduous task, political and physical punishment. I won't fight it or back away to whipping."

Tsunade raised an eyebrow in surprise. She tsked.

"Will that be the retribution you had in mind, or your preferences in bed?" Tsunade asked aloofly.

'_I don't mind either way,'_ Sasuke had all too readily answered before the implications of the suggestive tone hit his awareness…

Tsunade's open and loud laughing subsided and finally faded, eventually, under Shizune's disapproving glare.

"So you were saying," Tsuande said as she came into her normal breathing, displaying an ease of heart absent in previous seconds, "you'll accept the Council's judgment regardless of what it comes of it. Well, you _are _quite masochist. They are not an easy bunch, you know. You'll have better luck getting heart-felt confession out of Sai."

"If it be that you must be a prisoner to Konoha until I purge my sins, I will."

Tsunade nodded too. "I admit you've guts. You're a powerful asset to Konoha, which is what makes you a dangerous Missing Nin. This will require some serious sacrifice."

Sasuke stared transfixed. "If it has to come to it, for the period up until the trial, I'll agree to be blindfolded."

"Hn. Are we still talking of you bed preferences here?"

"Sensei!"

"Hai. Hai. A woman can't have some fun with a spoilsport like you around," Tsunade muttered, pushing some papers aside. "It would be silly anyways: you are no use if you grow unused to your bloodline."

There was a pause of ruffled papers and Tsunade settling on the desk again.

"Do you know about the restrictive seal of the Hyuuga Clan?" she started suddenly. Sasuke's attention was captured. It was a good plan. Tsunade nodded perceiving his thinking. "Making modifications I'm very sure we can restrict your Sharingan without restricting your eyes.

"As for the rest, I'll assign you a dwelling and a watch in the period before the trial. You'll be informed soon. But if you insist, I'm sure Naruto would agree to have you blindfolded and whipped –"

Tsunade finished, to Shizune's outrated, "Tsunade-sama!"

--

There was certainly something Naruto didn't enjoy about being following Sasuke around (funny thought, coming from him who had spent so much time of the last three years chasing the Bastard's shadow…) Naruto moved just a bit behind. They were walking though a small district area, where not many people his age were right now. Naruto noted, however, a couple of old gossiping ladies staring pointedly Sasuke's way while the latter acted unaware.

"It's those odd clothes you are wearing, you look silly." Naruto grinned at his so obviously true statement.

Sasuke made a monosyllabic noise with a smile, showing his hearing was more than perfect. "Not that I will consider listening to someone who dresses like a clown."

Naruto was about to call him some name when Sasuke stopped and turned around. Adopting a pose more like his old, younger self, Sasuke's hands found his pockets. "Is there a place we can talk?"

Naruto's face was priceless. "What? Aren't we talking now?"

Normally (except there was no precedents to the situation), Sasuke would leave it there and give up going any further, if so was Naruto's disposition. Probably, Naruto didn't get enough blood in his head from eating all that ramen. But, there wasn't that much time anymore.

"No, I mean something private."

He had led Naruto away from an ANBU-watching spot, quite plainly. He's stopped moving just as he sensed the team was about to move again for a better watching position. That gave Sasuke a fairly good opportunity at privacy. But he was not ready to come out on his... feelings still at their hearing reach.

Besides, it wasn't as if he was going to carry this conversation in close proximity, much less whispers, with a loud dobe – both, ideas that brought a blush onto Sasuke's cheeks.

Naruto, in a surprising turn of events, refused resolutely. "That can wait, I have to visit Sakura," he announced. "If she thinks I will forget about her when she is at the hospital, she will be upset."

There was that look Naruto was giving him… as if he meant that to apply to Sasuke as well. Something along the lines of 'I won't forget you if you don't come over'. The kind of threats that were so usual with Naruto. There was a pause of silence between them.

"I don't want to bring Sakura to the conversation," Sasuke alleged.

"Huh. Why do you have to bring _me_ to it!" Naruto bleated petulantly. Sasuke got the impression he was just being difficult. His scheme to make Sasuke visit Sakura was blunt and obvious. A place that Sasuke would rather not visit for similar reasons he didn't want to concern himself with the glaring ladies: it meant to face the end of the road. After Sakura's diagnosis, Sasuke truly had no present and no future…

No, if they were going to come for him, it would be the same if it was at the hospital, the streets or outskirts of Konoha. That wasn't what worried him: he had to show Naruto the importance of this talk…. even if he himself just couldn't bring himself to think of love talk as anything but sheer imbecile bull.

Even the _word_ felt undignifying in his mouth.

"So are you coming or not?" Naruto said unaware of Sasuke's mental digress, becoming irritated that Sasuke had gone silent. What was there to debate? It was a simple thing!

"Let's talk first," Sasuke insisted stubbornly.

"Who died and made you Hokage?!" Naruto retorted. He had turned it into a competition to see who would give in first. So that's how it's gonna be?

"Scared?" Sasuke played out, posing cross-armed The Tease, an oddly familiar look and a smirk Made in Uchiha. Naruto was curious – still huffy, but he faked his disinterest when he said 'offhandedly', "Then what is it?"

I got you, Sasuke thought hiding his complacency, parting from the wall he was leaning, expression set. Naruto's glaring frown became one of confusion. They exchanged a deep, strong look with the other. The second pair of eyes was just as fixed, his throat gulping an imaginary lump.

And then there was…

Nothing.

"Temeeee!" called Naruto irate, shaking hands into fists. Sasuke was just trying to piss him off, he was sure of it! What was that dumbass doing anyways, standing there like a dummy doing nothing but stare, that teme?!

Then, suddenly, Naruto stared with a face more like a pout. Then it was quickly dissolving into a foxy grin. "You know, if you _come_ we could _talk_," Naruto offered, his plotting smirk said it all. Sasuke should just ignore it, as it would be easy to do, as many other times before, for the sake of achieving what he sought after.

Following was a pouting glare: Sasuke did not answer; he stared for a long time, aware what Naruto's plan failed at, rehearing his own in his mind. Now Sasuke waits. He seemed unaffected by the silence. He kept on staring for longer…

And that's how Sasuke failed to tell Naruto his feelings for the third time.

--

Naruto had definitely grown quicker than he remembered. His leaps moved in just a split second. It said something of improvement in Naruto's training. But, he was still the same old fool, who just wanted to beat Sasuke and would burn the Kyuubi's chakra on mid-city only to try it.

Sasuke, of course, was faster. But he was also oddly aloof, disconcerted with his own feelings and pressed by the lack of time. Besides, the knot on his stomach was too much to bear unscarred, that with the prospect of seeing Sakura. He had been stronger in his mind to bear Sakura's illusionary death, but it didn't mean it was easy to have to deal with the guilt, and the fear of repercussions.

Naruto was first, holding his weight on the windowsill effortlessly he found his opening. Sasuke meant to stay outside, conscious of the ANBU warding team's wary, ever watchful eyes on him.

Situation which was fast remedied when Naruto poked his head and called at Sasuke in his charming but-not-really-polite way for him to get a move on.

"Sakura-chaaaaan" Naruto called happily upon walking into the room, Sasuke was climbing down the window. "Hey, Sakura-chan! Heh, I didn't know you were so much of a morning slug."

Sasuke's eyes narrowed: in the room was not only Sakura, but Sai. The later sat in a chair besides Sakura's bed on an easy sleep that was dispassionately interrupted by Naruto's calling. This while Naruto moved up to shake Sakura in her hospital bed. "Hey, Sakura, really now. Sa—"

--

In her office, Tsunade had just received further reports on Haruno Sakura's state from Medical Ninjas as she had requested. She leaned back on her desk chair. Something was troubling her. She put the paper down solemnly. She hadn't missed anything in her previous report, so…

"Tsunade-baba!"

Naruto had just broken into her office though the door, a blank-faced but also fast Sasuke at his heel did a very bad job concealing himself behind the door. Failure out of his own panic, Tsunde decided. A group of ANBU and Shizune were a bit behind, debating if to do something or nothing at all. Dependable useless bastards, Tsunade thought; she gestured them to say put.

"Something is wrong with Sakura!" Naruto cried, hands slammed on the Hokage's desk. "Sai says she wasn't woken up at all!"

Tsunade hid her expression behind the pair of her hands. It was true. It's strange that she hasn't woken up. Just as it was strange she could not avoid a direct hit, the Godaime Hokage thought. The physical and mental exhaustion must be that great. But as the Fifth's name was called a second time, she snapped,

"Be calm, Naruto."

The command was not of withheld authority; Naruto was forced to restrain himself. As of then, Tsunade indulged in a period of silence while she found how to express herself. Any case, she didn't have very long: she had the others on the edges of their seats... so to speak. "As I said, the preliminary inspection showed there was no life-threatening damage and there's no scarring in her brain. Naruto, it wasn't you."

Naruto stilled as if he was stuck right in the face. At the same time, Sasuke raised his eyes abruptly towards Naruto, the latter lowered his head, closed his fist and in a low voice, asked, "Old Lady Tsunade… what did I do to Sakura-chan."

Tsunade, elbows over the desk and hands over her mouth, but not because she was thinking, but as if she sought to shield her own words from Naruto, sighed in surrender, gaining courage from experience. She had had a long life after all.

"Naruto, your Shurinken Rasengan grazed her, but it's not why her state wasn't changed. The later is product of an unknown source, which is most probably related to mental stress."

"It's my fault then," Naruto replied immediately. "If I hadn't insisted on doing this mission my way…"

"It may have not been a success at all," Tsunade finished. A silence reigned on the room, disrupted by Naruto's smallest sounds of frustration: small guttural sounds, the sound of his own fist clenching, his teeth hard pressed on themselves.

At the same time, realization came to Sasuke's face. The reason why Sakura was sleeping was his Mangekyo Sharingan. The reason Sakura was even hit by Naruto's attack. However, it appeared Naruto's damage was also great; enough to be overlooked in Tsunade's medical report. It seemed unlikely, but… it was true Sasuke knew not the effects of his Shurinken Rasengan, other than what it did to Itachi. That got to be descriptive enough.

"What is it?" Naruto said suddenly, stopping Sasuke from his train of thought and brought further attention to the red-chakra that started to emanate from him and was slowly covering the floor.

"What did I do… to Sakura-chan?!" he asked again. Fractionally, he rose his eyes to the Hokage, his eyes on slits.

"Control yourself, Naruto!" Tsunade snapped with lesser intent. "It'll not be possible for me to tell you if you don't keep down your temper!"

The small forceful chakra that was coming out, slowly, with difficulty, started fading away. Naruto's fist hadn't stopped shaking, even if his face appeared normal like that, head bent down.

Tsunade's face furrowed. She almost wished that had taken some more work, and braced herself. The information was now hers to deliver, that information she was withholding with a tight stomach.

"Haruno Sakura, my student, your friend, is in perfect capability of executing her duties as a kunoichi, as a normal citizen and as a person."

Naruto looked up. The slits that persisted in his eyes were fixed in some sort of relieved shock upon Tsunade, dangerous but tamed, like a time-bomb, and/or a puppet.

"The graze on her abdomen brings a complication. As you well know, the power of the Shurinken Rasengan is lasting, destroying on a cellular level and doesn't seem to be reversible by our medical knowledge. The area damaged is near her appendix," she went on. "A minor organ injury can be treated on the surface, but it's also near the –"

"What- what is it, Lady Tsunade, I-I don't understand," Naruto urged her.

Tsunade looked sideways, then returned to him. "It means Sakura will not be able to have— She will never be able to be pregnant."

--

If Sai already knew or suspected something, the news from a frustrated Naruto did nothing to shake him. Maybe that's why Naruto's thin state of control totally broke by the time he was back on Sakura's room, out of the zombie-like state that had temporarily overtook him. The relentless train of cursing was enough to leave him out of breath.

You could be sure now Naruto knew, he would be by Sakura's bed all that was needed, to demonstrate how Naruto would accept it when fate delivered his punishment. An expert on dwelling himself, Sasuke meant not to be part of it. So Sasuke left, but did not go far. He retired to the hospital roof under the constant watch of hidden ANBU.

Later that day, when he came back, not Naruto nor Sai had moved from their positions. Never once the staff had made an attempt to pray either of them away. Sasuke only stayed to regard that fact and left to wander around. His recurring spots were the roof, the hospital grounds and the hallway outside Sakura's room. That's how it was. No words of comfort, no overly concerned looks like daggers on the back of Naruto's head.

Then, it was nearing sunset. Only then Sai abandoned his ever faithful position by Sakura's side that, ever since they came back, kept on never wavering. Sasuke waited for Naruto to move from his position, watching from outside Sakura's room. But he didn't. Sasuke watched now. He saw Naruto trying to see the brighter side, beat himself up on how mad and disappointed Sakura would be, to all-out scream in frustration at how everything was his fault. But as the day closed on them, and all through a restless afternoon, up until a new dark-orange sunset, Naruto had finally and resolutely fell into the suffocating silence.

Naruto never thought to leave the hospital to come back. Sasuke did, by periods, and always came back to check on him. Ino had come at some point. Rumors traveled fast in Konoha once secrets were unveiled first. Ino had brought flowers. She had taken Sakura's hand on hers and told her, "Don't worry, you know many powerful men. They'll take good care of you." Her hour-long company faded into the background as well.

The red chakra was back in spasm, eating though Naruto's skin enough to cost some visible blisters. All Naruto did was stare. Sasuke knew about it: it was but self-inflicted punishment. It was the kind of thing he would do. Even now, had not somebody else adopted that role at the moment. And quite frankly it was driving Sasuke over the edge. He had long sat on the chair Sai had before occupied now, Naruto kneeling by Sakura's bed. But the object of his brooding was in a whole different level. Kakashi's words keep running in his head.

"Stupid Kyuubi, you can heal up, right? Heal her then!" he heard Naruto irrationally tell his own hand with eyes in slits.

All Sasuke did was stare. This whole thing about his... thing for Naruto was nerve-wrecking. Had everybody but him knew his feeling better than he did?! He couldn't bear looking at Naruto in this state. Maybe he couldn't bear looking at him in any state. He couldn't rest his eyes either, and in all honesty there's no way he would until he saw Naruto grinning, drooling on Sakura's face and whining about having money to buy ramen.

Sasuke slammed his fist against wall, cracking it in pieces.

"Stand up," Sasuke said gravely, walking up to the bed and stopping behind Naruto.

He knew he had raised Naruto's awareness. The still, silent figure from the foot of the bed barely raised his head to acquaintance the action. "Say what?" he replied on a hoarse voice.

"Stop mopping, you idiot. Stand up and face me!"

He restated his command by grabbing Naruto from the shirt, putting him on his feet and leaving no option for him but stare back at Sasuke. "Come on, we are going to duel, Naruto."

Naruto red-eyed glared at him and a voice unlike him hissed, "_A fight?_"

Sasuke smirked with an evil expression.

"That's the nine-tails, right? I've always wanted to know whether he's stronger or me." About the time Sasuke saw the red eye slits, he knew he had him.

--

No sooner Sasuke had reached the ground though the window, a pair of feet hit the ground before him. Sasuke knew time would drag on no longer. A deep growl sounded at the back of Naruto's throat. The surrounding falling leaves of trees hissed burnt to the ground by the fox's chakra. Before Sasuke knew any further, they were engaged in fierce, blood-shredding combat of those he knew so well.

Naruto's speed forced him to be quick of his wits. Two red tails whipped and trashed behind the bodily spectrum: Sasuke had before known Naruto in this state, yet it still managed to have an overpowering effect on him. Testily, weapons were whipped off their holsters. The clashing of shurikens echoed faintly. Next you knew they were holding each other's fists, face to face, and on those times where the battle seemed held still, Naruto's bared, clenched teeth approached forcefully through Sasuke's grip.

"_Asshole_," Kyuubi-Naruto hissed as they parted. They hit the ground the second.

They stood a good ground between each other, Sasuke holding his ground, Naruto with limp arms surrounded by red chakra, both their movements still raw. Naruto spoke in that growling, stranger voice that was both deep and vicious,

"_You think I didn't notice?_" Rage and spite showed on his face on those slit, sharp eyes. "_You're not even using Sharingan._"

A fury unlike him pushed through, dangerously increasing with each word from Sasuke, as he merely reached back and offered a smirk. "Baka, like this is all I need."

Back jump and Sasuke stripped of his backpack weapons, throwing projectiles like rain, as easily deflected with a wave of the red-chakra tail. Naruto roared as he lunged for a new attack. It escalated a new level after that. Up to that point, the fight had not even started.

They were captured by a dancing battle of wills and shapes the moment their kunais met. Sasuke recognized the tingling feeling on his muscles – an old marking on his skin just like the cursed seal – from every time the two of them fought, and tsked. It quickened the pace of his heart and breathing, and it threatened to raise flush to his cheeks amidst the heat of the battle.

It was maybe because of his state of hypnotism, drive and chaos that Sasuke barely noticed the slight difference of activities. Naruto's nails slashed his arm and back with the red burning chakra, Sasuke blocked Naruto's other arm out of the way. Sasuke's Chidori hand slipped while Naruto grabbed a handful of Sasuke's hairs. Sasuke's breathing mixed with Naruto's; Sasuke and Naruto's mouths met each other in the middle. Naruto slashed the back of Sasuke's neck, Sasuke grabbed Naruto by his. Lips were crushed into one another, pace quick in motion like a handseal, the struggle strong and steady. Sasuke took off Naruto's forehead protector. Naruto's burning chakra heat burnt Sasuke's face and hands.

"That's enough. Don't make me pull you away."

The voice of Kakashi sounded somewhere by the building. By a mere motion of reflex, it managed to make them thrust each other apart.

Kakashi said then, in an easy tone, "Now return to your original self, Naruto. You know how dangerous the Nine-Tails chakra is – And I trust you have the control to revert the seal, Sasuke?"

Sad, Nine-Tails fox's eyes turned to Kakashi apologetically, "Kakashi-sensei..." Sasuke wasn't changing back either.

"What, don't tell me you are in such despair to get your hands on some action, you summoned that much chaotic chakra? And all this much was to win predominance?"

With every word, spoken though those plain, doubtless eyes, two boys felt themselves shrinking to half their sizes. "My, even to make out you two're fighting. And now you can't shut it down, right? It seems I underestimated how difficult it must be to you to fight all that libido."

The words Kakashi-sensei spoke worked like jutsu in the two boys, who instantly felt shame replace whatever feeling it was that they were feeling before, and their bodies react turning back to normal, if maybe forcefully.

"That's more like it," said a smiling Kakashi.

The whistling of leaves in the wind was louder than the raging ocean and mountains stilled with lethargic silence.

* * *

O-MAKE-CHIBIS: SAI'S FRIEND-MAKING ATTEMPTS

SAI: (smiles) Hi. Sai here. I've come to make a friendly, important announcement so if I could please have you attention.

(points to the right) See the old hag with the oversized 'jugs' and the alcoholic problem, Godaime Hokage? Well, it's not about her. Now turn your attention to the fatty Chouji, he's munching the usual fries from the pack.

It's not about him but I've always wondered if Yamaka Ino would take her head off her backside if she saw him slim sprouting wings like Sailor Moon.

Look past them the fanboy mentioned in this chapter, Inuzuka Kiba. He has been a goner for the best part of this fanfic and came down to the Sasuke-gathering crowd to get a good sniff of the faraway lands from the soil of Sasuke's shoe. Also, he first greeted Naruto coming back by licking the side of Naruto's face. We don't know if that was pure randomness or a failed tactic to make Hinata blush.

It's not about him.

But if you look to the left (points) you can see the rest of the Sasuke fandom crowd was composed of random generic no ones that are nothing important.

Among them was the Tenten girl from the team comprising Rock Lee and Hyuuga Neji. They are all unimportant too. So is the ramen stand guy Naruto went to for birthday treats, Konohamaru's group and my sensei.

The announcement is about the reckless fast-paced motion of the latest events of the story and immediacy of Itachi's death.

But we have run out of time, so that's all—

(surprise punch in the side of the head)

SAKU: BAKA!!

SAI: (with a black eye) Now notice, if we make an overall count of the number of females and males it's highly interesting that I've been paired as a heterosexual character, top gay and the massive forehead, isn't it? More interesting even is that she wasn't all that far off. Ne, Sakura?

SAKU: (zombie-cracks knuckles-'nuff said)

(screen goes white)


End file.
